She loves him, she loves him not
by rainbowgasms
Summary: Hou Jia is a concubine, content with existing purely for the pleasure of another. But when she shifts masters her heart is thrown for a loop. When faced with the decision between two men, what's a lady to do?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer! I don't own Dynasty Warriors, Koei does. I do own Jia and all that jazz, so if you honestly like her that much, just ask for permission to use her, and you'll get it. Although I don't really know why you'd want to use her... D:

* * *

"Oh, yes!" a female voice could be heard throughout the hallways of the Wei palace. "My lord! You're so good!" 

A few of the patrol guards snickered as the heated cries of passion erupted from their lord's chamber. Events like this happened almost every night, but it was still entertaining to listen to what the new harlots would say.

However, their crude humor was short lived, as footsteps could be heard. It was the middle of the night and the guards were alert. They took defensive positions and put on their roughest facades. The 'trespasser's' face came from the shadows and the guards stood regularly once again before smiling and greeting the visitor.

"Hello, milady," the head guard greeted. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

"Lord Cao requested me at this time, however it seems as if he has forgotten," the beautiful woman turned back around nonchalantly. At the last possible moment she spoke up again. "Tell him I came by, will you?"

The lady knew the guard wouldn't let her down, chuckled to her, and continued on her way.

The morning after, in the harem, the beautiful woman sat in the room that she had all to herself. Because she was one of the Lord's favorites, she was treated like a princess; she even had her own handmaids. She sat in front of her vanity putting a single blue flower in her hair to complete her ensemble. She wore a lively blue dress with an elegant gold robe draped around her shoulders. The dress pooled around her feet and swished this way and that as she walked. She was adorned with smoky makeup; her plump lips enhanced by red lipstick. Her eyebrows has been plucked and groomed into perfect arches. Her teeth were white and straight, giving her a breathtaking smile. Of course she was a favorite of Lord Cao; she had to be one of the most beautiful women in the country.

She looked at her reflection blankly, as if she was unfamiliar with the woman that was looking back to her. A single knock at her bedchamber door drew her from her thoughts.

"Come in," she called before getting to her feet.

"My lady," one of her serving girls knelt at her feet. "Lord Cao requests your presence in his chamber on this morning."

"Very well," the woman nodded and left her room, dress swishing with every step.

She was escorted by a eunuch through the halls that she knew all too well. The presence of the eunuch told her that this meeting would be all business, no pleasure.

She stood outside her lord's chamber door and the eunuch announced her presence. In a second, the grand door to her Lord's chamber slid open, and she stepped inside.

He stood there, stroking his goatee in nothing but a robe and casual pants. The girl from the previous night had left already, but the evidence of their mingling had not. The sheets were rumpled, and the stench of sweat and sex still lingered in the air.

"Leave us," her Lord declared without turning to look directly at the woman.

Moments after the antechamber was vacant, besides the woman and her Lord, the latter began to speak.

"You are as beautiful as ever," Cao Cao sighed as he looked at the woman.

"My Lord, you flatter me," the woman tried not to let her annoyance leak into her voice, and she had succeeded.

Cao Cao then proceeded to pace back and forth. "My cousin, Xiahou Dun, he is a very stubborn and very proud man."

"My Lord?" the woman questioned.

"He does not accept anything I offer him," he continued. "Land, horses, titles, houses… he rejects it all! Women, money, fame; he does not want any of it!"

"If you don't mind my inquiry, my Lord," the woman asked as she took a step toward Cao Cao. "But how does this pertain to His Majesty's consort?"

"He is an honest man," Lord Cao informed her. "Yet so humble. He does not seek any reward for all of the times he has been this country's savior and hero. However, I am prepared to offer something too precious to deny."

"This consort is confused by His Highness's behavior," she pleaded as she grabbed onto his robe. She was worried. Was he losing his mental faculty?

"Hou Jia," he spoke her full name. "I am asking-- no, I am begging for your help. Dun has only known war for his entire life. He knows not of the great pleasures of the world. He seldom takes a woman to his bed, and when he does, they are tainted. They are not like you, Xiaojia."

Jia was very worried at this point. Very rarely did he call her by her name, using her nickname almost all of the time. And he had never, not even once, used her pet name in serious conversation.

"My Lord, please, spare your humble consort and tell her what it is that His Majesty is saying!" She gripped his robe tighter.

"Xiaojia," he tried to smile, but the expression wouldn't play on his distressed face. "I want you to seduce him, be his very first love; teach him love and passion as you have taught me."

"Cao Mengde!" Jia was appalled. No more polite girl act, she was angry. "Are you dismissing me?"

"Xiaojia, I--" Cao Cao paused to find the right words. "Its not how it sounds."

"Then tell me, O great lord of Wei, tell me what the hell do you mean?"

"Its complicated. I care for you, I truly do, but Dun he needs to know happiness. He's never been in love, not like I have."

"You don't love me," Jia spat out viciously. "I'm just like every other girl, aren't I, Mengde? Just toss me aside when you have no use for me anymore."

Cao Cao looked the beautiful woman in front of him. He reached out a hand to brush a strand of hair away from her cheek, but she swatted away his hand. Her anger was raw, and it was so real, it made Cao Cao regret his decision.

"Jia, I am sorry. You can choose not to believe me, but I am sorry. You are the single most beautiful woman that I have ever had. You bring so much life and joy to this kingdom, Xiaojia, you bring so much happiness to me," Cao Cao's smile faltered. "But, I need you to do this for me. I need you to share your light with him, as you have shared it with me."

Jia's scowl softened, but was still visible. She looked at him, one final time before releasing a great huff of air.

"Alright, you win. Just send me to him whenever," she stomped over to the door, preparing to leave. "You know, Cao Cao, I nearly loved you, even though you're such an inconsiderate bastard. I fucking loved you."

* * *

Tell me, should I continue? I have like, nine more chapters written out, but I don't want to waste my time posting them if you don't like this story in the first place.  
Oh and by the way, I'm in a big slump with my My Cure story, so I'll try to get out of that, as soon as possible. 


	2. Chapter 2

Wow another chapter!  
Disclaimer: I don't own Dynasty Warriors, or the characters, blah blah. I own Jia yadda yadda.

* * *

Hou Jia huffed, she was just tossed from one man to another, and it angered her to no end. She retained all of her belongings and rights as a favorite, but her reputation was marred. The other girls in the harem spoke poorly of her, and she was no longer the envy of the entire palace. Lastly, this man, Xiahou Dun, had low standards, according to Cao Cao, and could not appreciate her the way she deserved. 

The day she met her new master, she wore an alluring white, blue black-lined halter dress with a very low scoop neck and back. It was like a second layer of skin; it was very sexy. She wore high white heels, and a translucent white robe that accented her creamy porcelain skin. She was, once again, wearing smoky makeup with red lipstick.

It was night, nearly ten o'clock, and she was making her way to Xiahou Dun's quarters. Cao Cao had informed her that he had already taken the liberties of arranging this meeting with Dun, so no surprises were in order. She gave one knock on the door before her new Lord answered.

"You must be Jia," he greeted, in a stoic voice. He looked her over once before letting her enter.

"My lord," she was very careful to not let any venom seep into her voice.

Jia surveyed the man; he was more muscular than Cao Cao, yet he wasn't as finely groomed as her previous lord. He had a rugged beard, long shaggy hair, and an aura that told Jia to be on her best behavior.

"Cao Cao tells me you can play," Dun gestured toward a guqin after he sat down at his desk. "Play me something."

Jia knew better than to ask questions, so picked up the instrument, sat in the chair next to Dun's desk and began to play.

Dun started on paperwork, his brush dancing along the paper. At the same time, Jia's fingers began to dance along the fine strings of the guqin as she plucked away.

She began to think of the bitterness she felt toward this man, simply because she was his property now. As she thought of that, she plucked a sour note, which earned her a look from Dun. She merely lowered her eyes and continued to play. But her mind would not be at ease, she continued to feel bitter. When she was done with the song, she prepared to play another, but stopped when one of Dun's large hands covered both of hers.

"That will be enough. I am going to prepare for bed," he then looked at her uneasily, as if she had some kind of virus. "I assume you will be joining me."

_You pig_, Jia spat at him in her mind, but her voice was her friend that day, and she kept that thought to herself.

"If that is what my lord wishes, then this consort will obey," Jia bowed.

Dun headed toward the bedchamber door, and Jia followed like a puppy. The first thing about Dun's bed, Jia noticed, was that one side looked significantly worn in, and the other did not. Dun threw off his night robe and discarded it on a bedside chair. He sat down, facing away from Jia, and rubbed a sore spot on his neck.

Jia remembered what her task here was. _"I want you to seduce him, be his very first love; teach him love and passion as you have taught me."_ Cao Cao's voice rang in her head.

Jia crept onto the bed and crawled over to Dun. She placed her small, delicate hands on his shoulders and began to work his chiseled muscles.

"Allow me, my lord," she offered.

She massaged Dun as if her life depended on it, and in return, she received grunts of thanks from her new lord. She smiled to herself as appreciation was shining through Dun.

Jia stopped only when Dun placed his hand on hers and turned around to face her. He placed his hand to her cheek and half smiled, to which, with years of practice, Jia blushed and smiled back. He leaned in slowly for a kiss, but he did not allow their lips to touch, and when he finally did, he kissed her so softly that it seemed as though he thought he would break her if he touched her too harshly.

Jia was patient with his soft kisses and his non-wandering hands. She was definitely not used to this treatment. Lord Cao was always romantic, yet rough; sweet but sour. She was used to his hands roaming all over her body, and this was like a breath of fresh air. She encouraged him by kissing him back, which opened many doorways to him.

He pulled her closer, her ample breasts pressing up against his muscular chest. His strong arms held her petite frame gingerly, being very precautious of her. His hand pet her loose ponytail softly, as if he was unfamiliar with the softness of a woman's hair. He pulled on her hair ribbon lightly, letting her ebony hair pool around both of their faces.

He pulled away from her soft lips and gently laid her down on his bed. Any second thoughts of him quickly vanished from Jia's mind as he removed his pants. Just as his cousin was, he was well endowed; a feat that Jia assumed must run in the family. She smiled up at him with a slight blush and allowed him to disrobe her. Dun was looming over Jia for a moment and they stayed like this for a moment until Dun claimed Jia's lips for himself, thus beginning a night they were sure to remember.

* * *

I know it seems kind of like a rushed meeting, but honestly. Life as a concubine sounds pretty boring. I didn't really want to write about it every little detail. You'll get tid-bits of Jia's daily life little by little. 

Sorry if the whole intimate scene sounds a little too perfect here. I just wanted them to get off to a good start, and you'll see why later. I promise that it won't always be vanilla ice cream and sprinkles all the time. And if you wanted in-story sex, I'm sorry, but until I get more reviews, I won't even write actual sex scenes, and I won't post even post them here unless a majority of my readers request them.


	3. Chapter 3

So third update!? Huzzah! As always, I own nothing here except for Jia and her little harlot pals. Koei owns Xiahou Dun, and Cao Cao, and everyone else relating to the Dynasty Warriors game series.

* * *

Jia made her way back to her room, Dun's touch fresh in her mind. The events replayed in her mind, every touch, caress, movement, it was all so ripe. For the first time in a long time, she had actually made love, rather than had _sex_. Dun was caring, despite his rough demeanor, but Jia figured it must have had something to due with the fact that she was most likely the prettiest girl he had ever had in bed. Cao Cao was the only man that she had ever been with that wasn't afraid to show his true nature. Not that she minded, but it was really a breathier to have someone who was in it mostly for the passion, not the pleasure.

His voice, his calming and soothing voice, was so new to her. The words he whispered to her as their bodies moved together, and the way he touched her in all of the right spots were memories as clear as day. She dreamily smiled as she entered the harem section of the palace, but the look was wiped off of her face as soon as the other girls gathered around her.

"Miss Jia!" a few of them cried. "Are you alright?"

"We heard that Lord Cao assigned you to Xiahou Dun's bed. Is this true?" one of the younger girls' asked.

"It is. Why do you all show concern?" Jia was confounded. Why were they all suddenly worried about her? Just earlier that day they whispered cruel rumors behind her back.

"He… He has a nasty reputation, Miss Jia," one of the older ladies spoke up. "He is known, for, well… _mistreating_ some of the girls."

"He's a violent man! He beats those of us who are defiant!" a younger girl cried.

"He showed no such behavior tonight," Jia waved them off as she attempted to go to her room.

"Miss Jia, you must tell us the truth," the older woman said. "We all know how… playful you are when it comes to men. It is known to us that he does not tolerate that behavior."

"He did nothing to disrespect me, and I did the same for him," Jia laughed and made her way through the lower positioned concubines. "Do not fret, I am fine. I am still the Hou Jia you all know."

Jia entered her room and readied herself for bed. Even as she cuddled up in her warm blankets and furs, she couldn't stop thinking about what the other girls had said; Dun was an abusive man? She did not believe it. The same man who touched her as if she the most valuable piece of art he had ever handled? It was completely and utterly ridiculous to her. But still, his rugged and outlandish appearance had her wondering. He was completely capable of hurting her, maybe even killing her with his bear hands. She knew it was better safe than sorry, but her heart told her that he was a good man. She didn't know who to believe; her heart, or her mind? She thought long and hard before she could think no more. She quietly snuggled herself down into bed and fell asleep.

When you're a concubine, there isn't much work to do. It was a straightforward life; interact with the other girls until your master called you to his bed. Then you do your job, and head back home to the harem. There were many girls in Lord Cao's harem, too many for Jia to remember. Every single girl in the entire place had been with the lord, some more than others of course, but all of them had all known Cao Cao's touch.

However, very few of these women enjoyed his love and were showered with gifts as a favorite. Jia's best friend, a woman by the name of Yu Lixian, was a favorite of Cao Cao. Lixian was the polar opposite of Jia, but Jia could see why their Lord loved them both.

Yu Lixian was a well-spoken girl, very virtuous, as far as concubines go, and had only ever been with Cao Cao. She saw very little of the outside world before she came to live in the harem. When she arrived, Jia, being three years older than the eleven-year-old Lixian, had protected the young girl from the harshness of the older ladies. They had secretly sworn themselves as sisters when they were younger, and they would never break that oath.

Lixian had light brown hair, in contrast to Jia's black hair. She kept it in intricate knots and adorned her head in flowers and gold pins, whereas Jia preferred a simple ponytail, and maybe a flower from the gardens. Despite being the younger of the two, Lixian was taller by at least two inches. She, however, wasn't as ample chested as her sworn sister, but was just as leggy. They were complete opposites in every feat; Jia was crude and playful with men, and Lixian was sweet and charming. Jia used her body and her sexuality to get what she wanted, and Lixian relied on her sweet words and polite demeanor. But no doubt, these two girls had a stronger bond than anyone else in the harem.

Jia was quietly reading a book and having a cup of tea by herself when, suddenly, one of her servants came up and knelt at her feet.

"My lady," the servant woman said. "Lady Yu is here."

"Send her in!" Jia exclaimed.

In a matter of moments, Lixian was taking a seat directly across from Jia at her tea table.

"Lixian," Jia cooed as she poured her best friend a cup of tea. "It feels like I haven't seen you in ages."

"It has," Lixian smiled. "Lord Cao weeps at the loss of you in his bedchamber."

"I bet he does," Jia said viciously.

"He did not wish to give you up."

Jia sighed. "I know, I know… Its just… he's left me hanging with his cousin. He told me nothing of him, yet the other girls tell me that he is a violent man."

"So I have heard…"

"But he isn't a violent man, Lixian. He showed me nothing but passion, you see, it was nothing but pure pleasure. Gods, I haven't felt this good in ages."

"But were you yourself, Jia? I know you well, Lord Cao knows you well, and the entire palace knows you well, except for him. He knows nothing of you. He does not see your playfulness, only your beauty, and you know it."

Jia rolled her eyes. "He will learn soon enough. He will tolerate me, I know it. He is a good man at heart," Jia laughed. "And besides, if he does touch me, then I'll be ravaged by Lord Cao once again."

"Jia!" Lixian exclaimed.

"What? Its true. You know Cao Cao wouldn't let a beautiful girl be marred. He'd take me back in a heartbeat," Jia took a sip of her tea. "Besides, it won't get to that point. Xiahou Dun wouldn't hurt me."

"You say that now, but what if he does? What will happen then? Your trust will be shattered."

Jia glared playfully at her sworn sister. "Tell you what, I'll pay master Xiahou a visit tonight, I'll

be as naughty as ever, and I'll return to you without a mark. I'll even bet on it."

Lixian looked uneasy. "I don't want to bet on your well being, Jia."

Jia took off her jade necklace and threw it on the table between them. "Make your wager, sweet little sister."

It was Lixian's turn to glare at her sister before she took off her sapphire earrings and put them on the table as well.

"Without a mark," Lixian reassured as she stuck out her hand.

"Without a mark," Jia repeated and shook her sister's hand.

Jia wore her sexiest white dress and left her hair down. She put on soft pink lipstick and her eyes were lined with dark charcoal. She walked barefoot to Dun's bedchamber before giving three delicate knocks on his wooden screen door. She heard him shuffling some papers from inside just before he slid the door open.

"I didn't ask for you to come," Dun said, more annoyed than surprised.

"Well," Jia said as she crossed her arms, making her cleavage jump out at him. "You obviously have never been with a halfway decent woman, not before me, anyway."

Jia saw his anger; it was raw and real. But she didn't stop.

"_I_don't need to be summoned. _I_have _my_ needs, and _I _will get them as _I_ wish," she took a daring step forward. "Unless you are refusing me."

Xiahou Dun opened his mouth angrily; his face beat red. He looked peeved, and Jia was now getting nervous. It really looked like he would hit her at any moment. The way his muscles flexed, the way his brow was strained into a deep glare; it made her uneasy. She had always been taught better safe than sorry, but she also couldn't let hearsay get between what relationship they may have in the future. She had to test him, see if he would break

Jia kept her fearless act up. "It is not necessary to speak, my lord. I know you are refusing me, and that is fine," Jia just waved him off and turned to walk away. "I'll just go _elsewhere_ for my needs."

Dun grabbed her arm roughly, spinning her back to face him. His face was had anger and arousal written all over it.

"Have you reconsidered it, my lord?"

Dun found no need for words and yanked her inside his room, roughly kissing her before slamming the door closed, nearly breaking the wooden frame.

Dun leaned in to Jia's ear whispering angrily. "You make me so fucking angry."

He tore at her clothes like an animal, ripping them in the process. He pushed her onto his bed and climbed on top of her.

"What happened to all the polite shit from last night? Where's that innocent girl who played the guqin for me?"

Jia laughed and sat up. "Innocent?" She laughed at Dun more, which only made him angrier. "I am more than just a pretty face, sir. I'm known for being a deviant, and you, Xiahou Dun, are just finding this out now."

"I gave you no permission to speak my name!" Dun gripped the palms of his hands tightly, so tight the calloused skin threatened to break.

"If I recall, my dearest Dun," Jia let a chuckle escape her lips. "As you were on top of me last night, right before you spilled your hot seed into my belly, you told me 'say my name'."

"That was last night," Dun showed no sign of embarrassment. Anger was the only emotion present.

"But you like it when I say your name, don't you?"

Now Jia was just being a mean ol' bully, and she knew it. Yet, she could see how Dun's anger quickly turned into arousal. So, as long as she didn't whimper in the corner, she was safe… right?

"Woman, you deserve to be beaten," Dun said before he touched her silken skin. "But I think you need to be fucked more."

At that moment, Jia grabbed Dun's shirt before she smiled maliciously. "You talk too much."

Jia and Dun lay next to one another on Dun's bed, both way too exhausted to move. They looked at each other with intense passion, both of them trying to find their voices.

"As punishment for your behavior earlier," Dun spoke first, his voice weary and soft. "I order you to spend the night here."

"Oh thank the gods," Jia laughed. "If I have to walk anywhere tonight, I'm afraid I'm going to collapse."

"Come here, woman," Dun offered his chest and arms to her, and cuddled her down into his body. "You will stay the night with me, and we will make love in the morning, and you will like it, or I'll fuck you 'til you do."

Dun uncharacteristically laughed, and Jia returned with a mock salute.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

That was a long chapter. I want reviews! Tell me how I'm doing, and if anything needs to be fixed, tell me, so I can fix it. The more reviews I get, the quicker I'll update. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Jia's mine, Lixian is mine, everyone else is not.  
By the way, I noticed that in the first chapter I called Cao Cao, Cao Mengqi. This is totally wrong; I must've been thinking about Ma Chao or something, but its fixed now.

* * *

Jia woke with the sunlight and discovered that parts of her ached that she didn't even know existed. She lifted her self up onto her arms and looked to her right, where Dun was sleeping like a baby. She giggled to herself like a little girl and reached over his body, being very careful. She led her hand down to his groin. She gave it a quick massage before he shot up, looking very horrified. 

Dun looked over to Jia and glared.

"Don't fucking do that!"

Jia frowned. "Why?" she whined.

Dun blushed for a second. "I was having a dream about beating Guan Yu in battle," he said. "Then you did that, and well, in my dream it was that bearded asshole who was making me aroused, not you."

Jia tried to keep a straight face, but a laugh forced its way out of her. She threw herself back down onto the bed and laughed at him more.

"Do not laugh at me, woman," Dun said, not as angrily as he would have otherwise. Because it was Jia and not one of the harlots he used to use, he wasn't angry. In fact, when she kept laughing, he chuckled, and soon he was laughing with her.

"I'll give you something to laugh about," she said as her perfectly manicured hands made their way to his abdomen. She gave him a quick tickle on his sides and he began to laugh harder, his body trying to fidget out of her grasp.

His larger hands grabbed her sides and gave them a good tickle, and she released him, only to have her abdomen ravaged with light tickles and soft kisses. She laughed until tears began to fall out of her eyes. Her stomach growled loudly, which Dun thought was really funny. He stopped tickling her and kept laughing as she sat there naked and huffed at him.

"Well! What do you expect? I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday."

Dun stopped laughing, but continued to smile. "Tell you what," he said before he got out of bed and tossed her his favorite bathrobe. "I'll order breakfast and we'll eat together, hm?"

Jia smiled; normally concubines weren't allowed to eat with their masters, because that was their wife's job. But since Dun wasn't married, Jia was like his girlfriend. She was privileged and could spend all day with Dun if he wanted her to, and that made her really happy. She was never allowed to spend more than the night with Cao Cao. Lady Bian would've had a bitch fit with her if she had.

"Sure," Jia said, smiling sweetly at him.

Jia was wearing Dun's robe, and Dun was wearing only cloth pants as they sat in Dun's antechamber eating the food that was brought up for them. They ate dim sum, rice, freshly smoked fish, a wide assortment of vegetables, and tea. It was like a private banquet just for them, and they acted like little kids, throwing chunks of food at one another, sneaking kisses in here and there. Just as their meal came to an end, a knock at the door alerted them of a visitor. Jia immediately panicked, but Dun was as calm as ever, even pulling Jia up onto his lap before answering the knock.

"Come in," he called and picked a piece of ginger out of Jia's hair.

The visitor walked in, regal as ever, but the confident look on his face was wiped away the moment he saw what was before him. His Xiaojia settled on his cousin's lap.

"Cousin!" Dun greeted.

"Lord Cao," Jia greeted awkwardly.

Cao Cao wasn't quite prepared for the scene in front of him. He had hoped that this would happen, but actually seeing them so comfortable with one another made him uneasy. He was jealous, even; Jia had never sat on his lap and she certainly never wore his clothing.

The lord shook his head before smiling, "Well isn't this a pleasant surprise?"

"What brings you here, Mengde?" One of Dun's hands made its way around Jia's waist.

"I was just here to remind you of the farewell banquet before the battle tonight," Cao Cao said, as pleasantly as he could. He definitely didn't expect this to affect him so much.

"Oh yes! I almost forgot about that," Dun laughed at his idiocy. "Jia, you wouldn't mind accompanying me tonight, would you?"

Jia and Cao both choked on their breath.

"Surely that is not acceptable," Jia said.

"Why they hell not? You're a lady, and you're Cao Cao's friend, and you're my lover. I think that's perfectly reasonable."

"I think you might have forgotten during the throes of our passion, but I'm a concubine, Dun."

"More like courtesan now. You're more of a lady than a whore, anyway," Dun waved her off. "Its fine if she comes isn't it, Cao Cao?"

Cao Cao wasn't sure if he could handle seeing Jia and Dun being dinner dates together, but then he remembered the only reason why he gave Jia up in the first place; to see Dun truly happy.

"Of course its fine! Are you crazy, Xiaojia, it wouldn't be any fun without you."

Dun quirked an eyebrow at Cao Cao's pet name for _his_ woman, but shrugged it off. Jia used to be in Cao Cao's service, so it was natural that they had some kind of relationship. It just had to die out… and soon.

"Alright," Jia said uneasily. "It's a date." She gave Dun a sweet smile and grabbed his hand. "I'll leave you gentlemen to talk, I have to go get cleaned up for the day," she frowned as soon as she remembered her dress was torn to shreds. "Um, Dun?"

"Yes?"

Jia shifted to look at him in the eyes. "Can I wear this to my room? My dress is, well, you know, in pieces."

"By all means," Dun gave a little nod to emphasize his point.

Jia smiled and got off his lap before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, "I'll see you tonight."

"Bye," Dun smiled.

Jia walked to Cao Cao and gave him a bow before hustling out the door.

Cao Cao took the seat across from his cousin and smiled. "You and Lady Hou seem to have taken a liking to each other. I thought you wouldn't put up with her at first."

"I didn't think I'd like her either," Dun took a bite from a dumpling. "But she's good company. She's a woman even I can tolerate, and that's saying a lot."

"She's quite the beauty isn't she?" Cao Cao inquired.

"That,_and_ she's hilarious," Dun said. "Last night she came to my room unannounced and completely insulted me. But I saw how exciting it can be when women aren't afraid, when they're confident and playful," he took another bite from the dumpling. "I don't think I've ever been more aroused."

"I was afraid her playful nature would drive you away," Cao Cao shrugged.

"We had a tickle fight this morning," Dun informed his cousin.

Cao Cao choked on his breath again. The thought of Jia having a tickle fight was easy to imagine, but Dun having a tickle fight? That was one concept he couldn't grasp on to.

"For a supposedly intelligent lord, you're looking pretty fucking dumb right now, cousin," Dun quirked an eyebrow at him.

"I'm just… happy that you and Jia like each other so much."

Cao Cao faked his best smile and plucked a dumpling off of the table.

Jia entered the harem and all the girls looked at her silently. They stared at her as she nervously walked through the crowd of them. She felt the most awkward feeling in the pit of her stomach and quickly made her way to her room.

In the antechamber, she found Lixian pacing the floor.

"Jia!" Lixian cried out. She glided over to her sister and hugged her.

"Lixian, what's wrong?"

Lixian backed away from the older woman and placed a hand on her cheek. "Are you alright? What did he do to you?"

Lixian checked her body for bruises and cuts.

"Not a thing," Jia said honestly.

"Then why are you late?" Lixian crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow at her sworn sister. "I was so worried when you didn't return last night."

"I spent the night with him, then we had breakfast when we woke up," Jia noticed Lixian's look of disbelief. "I swear! He even invited me to the farewell banquet tonight."

"Alright, alright, I believe you," the younger woman hugged her sworn sister briefly. "Come on, let's get you washed up for your big date tonight."

* * *

I want reviews. ;-; 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: You should know by now that I don't own anyone here except Jia and Lixian. Kthnx.

* * *

Jia was dressed in a new dress that Xiahou Dun had delivered to her for the banquet. It was a red gown with enchanting gold embroidery and a dazzling gold belt to go along with it. To match, a translucent gold robe was draped across her shoulders, and a solid red sash draped along her arms. The under robe had the same translucent gold material that swished as she walked. The robes and sashes were so long on the dress that they dragged along the floor. Her hair was in a simple ponytail with a red flower pinned above her ear. A few rogue bangs swam across her face with every movement that she made. She wore simple gold shoes that made no sound when she walked. 

"You will be the envy of the palace once again, Jia," Lixian assured as she picked out earrings for her sister.

"I doubt it… I am sure that Zhen Luo will outshine me," Jia gave an annoyed sigh. "As always."

"Zhang He will surely outshine her, though," Lixian gave a laugh.

"Oh, don't be mean, Lixiao," Jia used her sister's nickname. "General Zhang is such a nice man."

The two girls giggled and gossiped until a eunuch knocked at the antechamber door.

"I am here to escort Lady Hou to the chambers of General Xiahou Dun!" the eunuch hollered.

Lixian rolled her eyes and mouthed the words, "Do they have to yell?"

Jia shrugged and went to answer the door. She looked down upon the eunuch for a moment before looking back to her sister.

"I will be looking forward to your dance tonight, Lixian. Farewell."

Jia let herself into Dun's room. She saw the general in his armor, polishing dull spots and fixing flawed areas. Jia rest herself against the doorframe and looked at Dun's reflection in the mirror. The general caught sight of her reflection and smiled before turning to have a good look at her.

He looked her up and down, drinking in her alluring demeanor. He had attempted to pick something demure for her to wear but it was to no avail. Cao Cao asked him specifically to try to pick something for her that would steal the attention from Lady Bian, lest the two women have confrontation. However, as prude and simple the dress looked on the mannequin in the tailor's shop, it turned into the most elegant and extravagant thing when Jia wore it.

"You look," Dun paused to try to think of a proper word.

"Awkward? Ridiculous?" Jia tried to finish his sentence.

"Breathtaking."

Jia twirled for him in the doorway. "Why'd you pick red?

"I thought it'd look nice," Dun shrugged.

Dun took her hands in his and gently pulled her into his antechamber. He pulled her over to a sofa, where the two lovers sat next to each other. They held hands lightly and looked at each other, smiling all the while.

Dun was the first one to start to go in for a kiss, but Jia finished the movement, catching his lips by surprise.

The kisses were soft and polite, nothing rough or risqué, not before the banquet anyway. They both knew how much more they wanted to do, but they held back, settling for making out like teenagers with the door wide open.

Dun's left thumb stroked the top of Jia's right hand, while his right hand found its home on her thigh. Jia's left hand wiggled its way to dun's neck, her thumb stroking his cheek softly, as if he were a ticking bomb, and if she acted too proudly, he might explode.

They broke apart for air, their foreheads touching, their bodies shaking. They started to head in for more kisses, but someone at the doorway cleared their throat. Their heads turned simultaneously to see Cao Cao, and his precious Lady Bian hooked on his arm.

Dun and Jia both stood and bowed before their Lord and Lady, waiting for their cue to raise their heads.

"There's no need for that," Cao Cao gave a hearty laugh. "We're amongst friends here."

Jia could already hear Lady Bian's protest before the words even left her mouth. "There is certainly a need for showing respect, Mengde. Look who you're talking to; a man who owns no property, and a whore."

"Rise," Cao Cao said, a little too defiantly to be discreet about his authority. "We should leave for the banquet."

"Don't tell me that that _whore_ is going to be there, husband," Bian said venomously.

Jia glared at the woman, and showed that she could bare he fangs, too. "Do not insult your humble beginnings, my _Lady_."

Before Bian could throw a fit, Cao Cao motioned for Dun to escort Jia from the room. Dun nodded and took Jia by the hand and led her far in front of the royal couple.

"You shouldn't let her bother you," Dun whispered.

"You shouldn't let my former relationship with your cousin bother you," Jia snorted.

"Woman," Dun warned. She had really touched a sensitive spot.

"Save it, Dun. I don't want to hear it right now," Jia huffed.

Dun could only raise his eyebrows in response. What had gotten into that woman? Why was Lady Bian bothering her so much? Dun thought about it, and he figured it could be because she still has feelings for Cao Cao. That really irked him. Was that the only reason Jia was so passionate with him? To make Cao Cao want her back? Dun slithered a possessive arm around Jia with full knowledge of his actions.

The farewell galas always had a big turnout, and this one was no exception. Jia had been to these events, but she was always dancing with the other concubines, and she certainly was never an honored guest. As she expected, people looked at her strangely, as if to say 'why is this harlot here?'

While Dun was engrossed in conversation with the other officers, Lady Zhen, the most beautiful lady in the entire kingdom, made her way to Jia's side. The two women were casual friends, never really going out of their way to speak with one another.

"Lady Zhen," Jia started to get up to bow, but the woman waved her back down.

"Its just Luo, Jia." Luo's smile was hauntingly beautiful.

"Have you been well, my La-- Luo?"

"I have," Luo smiled. "And you, Miss Jia? Have you fared well?"

Jia thought about that for a second. Had she been well recently? Was her life working out? She glanced to Xiahou Dun quickly, his face sparking with laughter, and then her eyes scanned his cousin. Handsome as always, laughing away like a boy at the circus. Was she well? Was she all right with Xiahou Dun? Did she miss her Lord and lover, Cao Cao?

"Jia?" Luo's voice brought Jia back to reality.

"I'm sorry, Lady Luo," Jia's head bowed quickly for a second. "I have been… spectacular."

The beautiful peacock mistress smiled. "That is wonderful to hear. I've heard you and General Xiahou have become lovers."

"Word gets around pretty quickly," Jia shrugged.

Luo chuckled. "There are many ladies who like to gossip."

Jia instantly knew whom the heiress was talking about. Luo's mother-in-law, the fickle Lady Bian, couldn't find anything to do other than spread rumors. That's all the woman ever talked about; gossip and hearsay.

Later in the evening, when things had calmed down a bit, Dun and Jia were united once again. They sat next to each other at the grand table talking about little nothings. Dun had noticed, halfway through dinner, Jia had not eaten a bite of her food.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked. She liked eating; that much he knew. Why was she so sullen now?

Jia looked around. "Look where we are, Dun," Jia's eyes glistened with a certain sadness. "We're in a room full of marvelous warriors who are about to go away to war for who knows how long. Some of the people in this room are not coming back, Dun."

Dun laughed. "Is that all you're worried about?"

"Don't ridicule me," Jia was serious. "Dun, what if something happens to you? You're not invincible, you know. Nobody is."

"Jia, I am aware that this is war, and I am aware that there are casualties, but I'm not your average foot solider. I'm a general for a reason, and nothings going to happen to me."

Jia looked into his eyes, her gaze intense. She searched them for fear, for remorse, for anything other than that boyish joy. She looked away when she found nothing. "I can only pray that you're right."

Jia walked by herself, slightly intoxicated, down toward the harem, toward her room to get clothes for the next day before going to Dun's. She was never aware that the patrons who watched the concubines dance drank while the women fluttered about, and she had just learned the hard way. She stumbled into her room when she saw all of her belongings packed in crates, and her handmaid crying in the center of the room. She couldn't really put the pieces together and stumbled toward the weeping girl.

"Darling," her voice was slurred and sullen. "What's wrong?"

The girl, no older than eleven, stared up at her mistress. "She-hic-she's sending you away!"

"Who's sending who away?"

The girl cried even harder. "Lady Bian, she's expelled you away from the ha-hic-rem."

Jia looked at the girl, puzzled, as if she was speaking a different language. "Can she do that?" Jia asked herself. The concubine shrugged quickly. "Oh well, send my stuff to Xiahou Dun's room tomorrow morning, will you?"

Jia twirled around in her drunken joy, and fluttered out the room and happily made her way to the hall. She smiled to herself, despite the awkward timing. Kicked out of the only home she had ever known, she sat down in the hallway. How the hell would she get herself out of this? She smiled as she looked down toward Cao Cao's bedchamber. Surely he could do something about this. But then that smile grew malicious on her face and she faced toward Xiahou Dun's bedroom. She could coerce Dun to help her, couldn't she?

* * *

Wow. I'm like a review junkie. I need more reviews. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Wow, I'm getting sick of these. ;-; I don't own Dynasty Warriors. Jia's mine, Lixian's mine, blah blah.  
Okay, guys, here's the thing. I really love constructive criticism, and I've reread this story so many times that it makes me sick. The more I read this story, the more I hate it, so I need you guys to continue encouraging me so I can find the motivation to keep writing. Please, I beg of you, criticize me!

* * *

The drunken concubine burst through Dun's antechamber door to see him with just a robe on, half erect. She giggled when she saw his nearly naked body. Dun, a little rosy cheeked himself, grinned at the drunken girl.

"Why are you so happy?" He watched her twirl around, taking special notice of her breasts, which were bouncing to and fro with every movement.

"I don't live in the harem anymore," she said nonchalantly.

Dun's eyebrows rose. "You're happy about that?"

"I'm sure I won't be as happy tomorrow, but right now there's something else I have my mind on," Jia bit her lip and looked Dun up and down, spending a little too much time looking at his lower quarters.

"Where are you going to stay?"

"Oh, I don't know," Jia floated to Dun, making sure to stand extra close to him. "Maybe with someone who would want to take me in?" She put her head on his chest and played with his rippling pectorals.

It took Dun a moment to register what she was doing. "Are you suggesting that you stay with me?"

Jia stepped away from her lover and crossed her arms. "Well, if you don't want me anymore, I guess I can throw myself back at Cao Cao and be admitted back into the harem."

"No," Dun said instantly. "No, that is not happening."

"Then what?"

"You're staying here."

Jia grinned and threw her arms around Dun's neck. "Thank you!" She pulled him into a quick kiss before pushing him toward the bed. "Lets go, I'm hornier than bitch in heat."

Jia woke up the next morning, her body tangled in Dun's silk sheets, her hair impossibly knotted. Her head ached beyond words, but at least she was with Dun… or so she thought.

She rolled over to see her lover, only to find a vacant space. She panicked. Where was he? He didn't leave for battle already, did he? With the sheet clutched around her body, she slowly got up and crept over to the antechamber. She found Dun scribbling away on a piece of parchment. He was practically nude; the only cover was the robe he wore last night, which hadn't bothered tying.

"Dun?" Jia's voice was quiet; if she spoke any louder, she'd worsen her headache.

"Hm?" Dun's voice was indifferent, like usual.

"What are you doing?"

"Writing a letter."

"Xiahou Dun," Jia crossed her arms, careful to keep the sheet around her body. "You're being vague."

"I'm writing a letter to the guards informing them of your… change of quarters."

Jia's eyes narrowed as she stared down the back of the general's head. "You don't sound very happy. What's up?"

"Oh, I don't know. It might have something to do with the fact that you took advantage of my lack of sobriety to weasel your way into my private life."

Jia snorted, she did not "weasel" her way into anyone's life.

"Excuse me, General Xiahou, but I'm pretty sure that you were the one who gave me permission to stay. And I'm pretty sure that you did it out of your own free will."

"You used my insecurity against me."

Jia scoffed. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you're con artist."

Jia turned away from him. "You're no fucking prince charming yourself."

Jia saw Dun begin to turn to look at her, before she fully adverted her eyes from him, her head refusing to even look in his general direction.

Dun let a breath of air out. "Sorry, I'm just anxious for battle. Lets not argue, I really am happy that you're staying with me."

"No you're not."

"Jia," Dun's voice was loud, which made the woman's head throb. He was close now, Jia could hear his breath. "I'm sorry, I really do want you to stay here, to stay with me."

Dun turned Jia's face to look at him, and he saw the rage dying in her eyes. He smiled and hugged her. "Look, I even brought all your stuff in."

Jia looked to where Dun had gestured, and sure enough, the wooden chests from the night before were all stacked near the door of the antechamber, waiting to be unpacked.

She looked up to Dun, her head still resting on his chest, and smiled. She thought about saying thank you, but words would have just ruined the moment. There was always something nice about making up, Jia thought. She and Cao Cao argued often, and she always thought it was beautiful when they could come to an understanding.

Speaking of Cao Cao, Jia thought it would be a good idea to go see him off some time that day, that is, if she managed to sneak away from Dun. If she expressed her want to see her former lover, she was sure Dun would keep her distracted from doing so. But how would she do it? Just creep away while his back was turned?

-------------

"Dun we've been in bed all day," Jia complained, her back against the headboard.

Xiahou Dun's mouth worked all along her neck, trying to kiss every piece of exposed skin that the woman had to offer. "What's wrong with that?"

"I'm bored out of my mind."

"Jia," Dun stopped kissing his lover. "I'm going to be away at war for months. I won't get to touch you for god knows how long. I need to stock up on memories now, or I'll be so alone for the whole campaign."

Jia looked down at him. Dun was exceptionally horny for the time of day and she couldn't get her mind around it. How many times could this man possibly want to have sex? She honestly had had too much of this room in the past few days and needed a breather. Cao Cao never called for her every night.

"Dun, while you're away at war with your country girls and back alley prostitutes, I'll be here, holed up in your room, making tea cozies and scarves. I'm going to be a fucking nun until you get back!" she crossed her arms stubbornly. "But I'm not crazy for sex, am I? Lets just enjoy the rest of the day doing something nice… maybe a walk in the gardens."

Dun pouted like a little boy who had just been reprimanded for not eating his peas. He threw his body off of Jia and lay on his stomach.

"Fine, have it your way."

Jia smiled and kissed his head before tugging the sheet to get up with her. "Good, good," she strutted over to the pile of clothing, knowing that Dun's eyes were hungrily following her every movement. "Let me go freshen up, then I'll come get you when I'm ready, alright?"

"Whatever," the grown man pouted like a child and rolled away from that tantalizing body. The last thing he needed was a hard-on that he knew couldn't be relieved.

Jia rushed to the bathhouse and took the quickest bath she had ever taken in her life. She needed to see Cao Cao in a reasonable amount of time, so Dun wouldn't get suspicious. With her hair still wet, she left the bathhouse and scampered across the palace.

She checked Cao's bedchamber first, but only maids and servants were there. She checked the dining hall, the harem, and even managed to sneak around to Lady Bian's room. But she still couldn't find him. She was on her way back to Dun's, all hope lost, until she passed a room; a room she nearly hit herself for not thinking of.

Jia stood in the large doorframe of the library watching Cao Cao sit happily in front of a fire with a book and a cozy blanket. She entered the room and quietly closed the door, for privacy. Cao Cao was no fool, despite Jia's attempt to surprise the handsome lord, and looked up to the woman, a smile stretching from ear to ear.

Cao Cao looked her over; her hair was damp and her clothes hung tightly to her body. Her breasts fell and rose with every breath, and her curves danced with every movement. He was lost in the alluring look in her eyes and stood up for no apparent reason. He neared her as she neared him, their bodies touching softly as they collided.

Jia touched his chest gingerly, did she honestly miss him this badly? Dun was a great guy, but she barely knew him. She knew how he liked his sex, but not what he liked to talk about, what his pastimes were; she knew almost everything about Cao Cao. They had been so close before, and he just tore a big hole between them.

Cao Cao wanted to speak but words left him. He embraced Jia roughly, as if his life depended on contact with her. He feared her initial reluctance, but her welcoming embrace afterwards was more than a reward; it was a blessing.

"Mengde," Jia searched for the right words.

"I've missed you," Cao Cao said, brushing a piece of hair away from the woman's face.

Jia looked up to him. "I…I…" The look in Cao Cao's eyes egged her on, but she couldn't say what she really wanted to. Hell, she didn't even know what she wanted to say. "Come back from battle safely, my lord."

Jia put some space between herself and her former lord and lowered her eyes. She couldn't do this, not to Dun. She didn't know him, but she owed him a chance.

"Xiaojia," Cao reached a hand out to his former lover. He saw the pain in her eyes when she moved away from him, the strength it took not to reach out to him. He wanted to hold her, ease her pain, but he knew what she was thinking; she did not want to hurt Dun. He knew she cared for his cousin, but she cared for him also. Cao Cao knew it was all his fault that she was in such pain, but he never realized how much he loved her, at least, not until after he let her go.

"I have to be going," Jia's voice was quiet, afraid.

"Xiaojia…"

"Goodbye, your highness. This consort will await his Majesty's arrival home. Be safe."

-----------------

Jia wiped a rogue tear from her eye as she neared her new home. She opened the door of the apartment slowly and peeked inside for any sign of Dun. She found nothing, but lit candles and various flowers littering the antechamber. A bouquet of golden daffodils awaited Jia with a note. The courtesan picked up the gift and read the note carefully.

_Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman._

Jia laughed; how corny was that? Oh well, it was the thought that counted. Jia walked carefully along a path of rose petals to the bedroom chamber. She opened the bedroom door quietly and peered inside. The curtains were drawn and flower and candle arrangements littered the area. The aroma of the atmosphere finally hit Jia, and it was like walking through paradise. But, it wasn't quiet heaven yet; Dun was nowhere to be found.

Jia walked over to the bed and touched the sheets. The blue linen sheets had been replaced with white silk, huh. Strange as it was, this was a very nice surprise. As Jia placed her daffodils on the nightstand on her side of the bed, she noticed the white rose petals that littered the whole surface of the bed. She knew Dun had done this all for her, but where was he? He couldn't just set up a romantic atmosphere and then not show up to enjoy it with her.

Jia gave out a soft sigh and sat down on the bed, but a figure clad in white caught her eye. The lighting was too dim to see the person's face for sure, but Jia knew who it was.

"I thought I asked for a walk in the gardens," Jia said, eyes closed.

"I brought the gardens in for you."

Jia laughed again; he really needed to learn how to be less corny. As charismatic as he was, he really didn't have much talent at using his words to seduce a woman. All Cao Cao had to do was say "Hey there" and women threw themselves at his feet.

The courtesan opened her eyes and found her lover standing but a few feet in front of her. She grabbed onto the translucent white robe, which served no function other than creating a very sexy aura around the general, and playfully pulled her lover onto the bed with her.

It was a dreary night, but Jia was forced to stand outside on the dew-covered cobblestone. She couldn't feel her toes, but she was warmly wrapped up in various furs. She was lined up with the families of the higher-ranked officers of the Wei army. Only one woman, Lady Zhen, separated Jia and Lady Bian.

"Is this the first time you've ever had to see someone off?" Lady Zhen asked Jia in a barely audible whisper.

"Yes, thankfully, Luo," Jia smiled sorrowfully at her friend. She had probably seen Cao Pi off too many times before.

"It will be your last," Lady Bian interred from the other side of Luo. "General Xiahou will find a new girl and you will be thrown from his bed."

"And back into your husband's, my Lady," Jia whispered, equally vicious.

Before either woman had the chance to strangle the other, Zhen Luo straightened out and held her head highly in the air as the various generals saluted their troops and dismounted to give a farewell to their families. Jia looked sadly to the family to her left; it was a wife with two crying children. It pained her to see the scene.

Jia witnessed a loving embrace between Luo and her husband, Cao Pi, after Cao Pi had said his goodbyes to his mother. She was shaken from her thoughts as Dun placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head to look at him.

The two lovers looked at each other a good moment before embracing one another fondly. Jia's head turned to look at the family next to her. The two children were hugging their father, and the mother was hugging her adult son, who was leaving for war as well. She felt a pang of guilt for Lady Bian; how many children had she sent off to war? How many had she lost?

"Return soon," Jia whispered to her lover.

The courtesan pulled away from Dun to look him in the eyes. She drank them in one last time, the warm honey color that drew her in like a moth to a flame. She kissed him tenderly, fearing that she might not ever get to do this again.

Jia heard a war horn sound and all of the officers pulled away from their families at synchronized times. Jia and Dun's kiss fell short as Dun regretfully pulled away. He stayed with his hand in hers for a moment before the father of the family to the left of her came up to Dun and touched his shoulder.

"Brother, we have to go," the man said. Brother? Jia had heard of Dun's brother. His name was Xiahou Yuan; a big man who had deadly accuracy with a bow and arrow.

"Come back soon, alright?" Jia said softly.

Dun gave a mock salute. "Yes ma'am."

Dun turned away with his brother and walked off. Jia felt alone all of a sudden, and a creeping coldness touched her spine. Then, one of the children next to Jia ran after her father and the mother had no hope of catching the child. Jia quickly ran to the screaming little girl and scooped her up before she could put herself under the dangerous hooves of the horses.

Dun and his brother looked back to Jia as she stood up, the girl crying into her furs. She smiled at Dun, and then looked to Yuan. She earned a big smile of thanks from him.

"General Xiahou Yuan," Jia called. "Look after him for me."

Jia smiled to the general before turning back to return to daughter to her mother, who waited calm as ever. She gave the child to her mother and resumed position in the line. Her eyes were drawn to the always handsome Cao Mengde. His curious eyes followed her every movement from afar, and suddenly, Jia found herself wanting to be with him, in the warmth of his arms, in the warmth of his bed, wrapped up tightly in his many silk blankets and exotic furs.

As Cao Cao turned his horse back to the road ahead, the women all bowed in an eerie synchronization. Jia told herself she wouldn't cry, not in front of the other women; it would be very unprofessional of her. As the army retreated out of sight, Jia and the women all turned back to the now quiet kingdom.

Jia threw herself on Dun's bed as soon as she got back home. Her skin was moist from the wet weather, but she didn't care. She curled up with her quilt and cried. She cried for Dun; she cried for Cao. What if one of them didn't return? What if both? Where would she turn next? Seeing Cao Cao, and Dun, disappear into battle effected Jia much more than Cao's previous way of going off to war; "Hey, Jia. There's a battle coming up so I don't know when I'll see you next… and I bought you a new necklace!".

No, this was much more personal, much more devastating.

Seeing Dun off hurt her, too. She had known him for what? Less than a week, and she was already so attached to him, and she couldn't just send him away like that. It hurt a lot to be close to someone and just have to watch them walk away to their possible death. Sure, Dun explained that the chance of him dying in this particular battle was slim to none, but what about the next? And wasn't Lu Bu supposed to be there? She knew that they went to go take Xia Pi back, and Jia wasn't stupid. She knew Lu Bu was there, and just how powerful that man was.

Jia held her breath in attempt to stop sobbing. She focused on her daffodils on the bedside table; how she wished Dun would be able to spend just one more night with her. Jia hated to be alone; ever since she was a child, she hated that feeling, like if you died, no one would notice, no one would care. Before she always had the harem to keep her company, and Lixian to soothe her at night. But now she had no one. She looked out to the moon and the stars, but on this night, not even heaven would give her a sanctuary

* * *

And once again, read and review. 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer- You know the drill. I don't own anything here except Jia and Lixian.

* * *

Jia woke up to a rude knock on Dun's door. She shuffled in her nightgown over to the door and answered it with tired eyes. It wasn't even daylight yet! 

Her eyes glared at the pair of eunuchs who stood there with their heads lowered in respect. One of them had their hands held up high, offering a box to the courtesan.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Jia spat out unattractively. "Its not even dawn. Why have you awakened me?"

"Her highness, Lady Bian, sends Miss Hou Jia a package."

"Is it poisoned?" Jia mused. What the hell did that wench send her?

"Our Lady did not say."

Jia rolled her eyes. Eunuchs were never any fun; no jokes, just business. Well, having your genitals removed can do that to a person. She moved out of the doorway and tossed her arm at Dun's desk.

"Put it there," the eunuchs remained motionless. "Are you mute? I said 'put it there'."

Jia pointed at the desk again, and the two eunuchs looked at one another before entering the room to put the package on the desk. They quickly shuffled out of the room and resumed the bowing position at the front door.

"You can leave now," Jia huffed. Just as the eunuchs were about to pay their respects, Jia slammed the door in their faces. She didn't have the energy for court bullshit

Jia's attention turned to the package. Now, what in the world would Bian ever send Jia? Bian hated Jia; that much Jia knew. But what could she ever want her to have? Perhaps it was a viper, or some kind of poisonous plant, or maybe…

Jia was curious by nature, and of course she just had to open it. She cut the ribbon gently with a knife from Dun's desk, and prepared to open it. She peeled away the folds of the rice paper and looked down at the woven box. She could back out now if she wanted, but she put her hands on either side of the top and separated the top half of the box from the bottom.

The first thing Jia noticed was a book. It was entitled _Lessons for Women by Ban Zhao_. She knew of this book; she had started to read it when she was just a girl, but never got the chance to finish it. She recalled a couple of chapters that she had read, and from what she could remember, it was all bullshit. It was the 'women must be calm, demure, polite, and submissive' book. What a load of crap that was. She threw the book toward the bedroom. She'd read that later; it'd give her a good laugh.

She then found a set of blue robes and a silver hairpin wrapped in a silk cloth. She picked up the garments and found a letter at the bottom of the box. She picked up the envelope and eyed it. Oh god, what was that woman trying to tell her?

Jia put the clothing back down and opened the letter. Her eyes bulged at what the letter had to say. She put a hand to her forehead and reread the note:

_Miss Hou Jia, consort of General Xiahou Dun,_

_Miss Hou, because you are the new live-in of General Xiahou, I must inform you of your new duties. The walls of the harem have kept you hidden from the duties of a proper woman, and now that you have been exposed to the outer world, you must take responsibility._

Okay, so Bian was giving her a crock of shit; so what?

_It may or may not be known to you what the proper duties of a lady are, but I am kind enough to inform you of what you are to do. At daybreak, the wives of all of the generals gather in my common room to start embroidery. We continue until ten o'clock. Then we will break for lunch. At noon we then proceed to package supplies to send to our troops who are so proudly fighting for us. We will continue until dinnertime, when we will then all break for the meal. Afterwards, we will gather in the temple to pray for our husbands and sons._

Oh, no, no, no, Jia thought. There was no way she was doing any of that. There was no way in hell she was going to be a slave to the whole 'male supremacy' idea.

_This will continue every day until the troops come home, or until, _my_ husband, Lord Cao instructs us otherwise. _

_You will also be required to wear the robe and hairpin provided. They signify your position in the court._

_Sincerely,_

_Lady Bian, Queen of Wei_

Jia gagged at the title. There was no way that bitch was going to make her a slave to all of this shit. She prepared to tear up the note, but she noticed something scribbled at the bottom, in nasty handwriting, not the polite courtly handwriting from before. Jia read it carefully.

_ P.S. Need I remind you of your situation, wench? I am in charge of the my husband's estate while he is away at war. In your vulnerable state, would it not be very easy of me to simply send you an eviction notice if you should happen to miss any of these meetings? Remember this when you think about skipping out on your duty. _

Jia crumpled the note in her hand. She was virtually powerless without Cao Cao, and she was even more powerless without Dun. Bian could bend her and play with her until she broke, and she could do nothing about it. She looked to the robe and gave out a sigh. It was going to be a long day…

Jia hustled toward Bian's hallway, which could've been called a demi-palace all on its own. Sure, Dun's room was large, spacey and private, and the harem was huge, a large estate on its own, but Bian's quarters couldn't really be called anything less than a castle. It had three floors, all littered with pointless rooms and servant chambers. Jia found the Lady's common room and stepped inside to see all of the other ladies already sewing and chatting away. It was an awkward feeling when she showed up late, kind of like the feeling that she got when she walked into the harem after spending the night with Dun.

A eunuch approached her with a pattern, thread, a mesh-like material, an embroidery circle, and a needle. He presented the items to her and shuffled back to his place. She started to head toward a small table in the corner, secluded from the other ladies, but Zhen Luo, the only person she could call a friend in that room, called out to her.

"Lady Hou, over here!" Luo waved happily, as if Jia were a beacon of light, and she was lost at sea, stuck in the fog called Lady Bian.

Jia walked almost shyly over to the table that Bian and Luo were sitting at. Luo motioned for a eunuch to bring over another cushioned chair for Jia to sit on. Jia settled down in the chair as her favorite heiress poured her some tea and smiled.

"I thought these little rituals were reserved for wives only," Luo gave a look to her mother-in-law.

Jia looked at the pattern on the piece of parchment. So, embroider the Wei emblem? No problem, right? Jia could embroider, even though it had been nearly six years since she last picked up a needle and thread. 'You are far too beautiful to be doing this housewife work,' Cao Cao had told her when he caught her stitching up his robe that she had torn on accident. 'You will never serve anyone, not like this, Xiaojia.'

Pfft. So much for that.

Jia started on the first stitch, and everything seemed to go smoothly.

"Our little Jia is well on the path to becoming a wife of a very proud warrior, its best she learn her place now, rather than later," Bian smiled pleasantly.

Jia bit her lip to remain focused on her embroidery and to keep herself from landing a nice uppercut right under Bian's pretentious chin. Jia wasn't afraid to admit that she was a brat, but her Queen gave a whole new meaning to diva.

"Do you not trust my reasoning, Zhen Ji?" Bian continued.

Jia looked up only to see Luo scowl at that name. It wasn't a secret that the heiress despised the name that the Cao family had given her. Jia's eyes returned to her work.

"No, mother. I apologize for my rudeness," Jia could almost hear Luo's smile. "However, I do believe that Lord Cao will have several objections to Lady Huo's treatment when he comes home. We all know of how he feels for--"

"That is enough from you, _princess_," Bian spat out at her daughter-in-law.

"My apologies."

"It doesn't matter anyway," Bian sneered, trying to cover-up her unladylike acts. "What Mengde doesn't know won't hurt him."

Jia tried her hardest to keep the building laugh from escaping her mouth. She was usually very good at keeping her emotions in check, but it was always so hard to not laugh when someone insulted or ousted Lady Bian. Jia's hands trembled and she pricked herself in the finger.

"Oww…" Jia immediately put her finger in her mouth and reached for her handkerchief. She looked at Luo humorously and both women shared a fine grin.

Jia looked at her pained hands. She wasn't used to doing so much embroidery. She had gotten four and a half emblems done, which was pretty good considering she hadn't memorized the pattern yet. But still, she had a long way to go before she caught up to Bian's extraordinary 12-emblems in one session average.

She was back in Bian's common chamber once again; it was just after lunch and now it was onto packaging supplies. This couldn't be that bad, right? She got introduced to a couple of the other ladies while she waited for Bian and Luo to return with directions.

Luo had a basket full of ribbons, and Bian carried a list. She began to list off everyone's job in this assembly line. Bian and Luo, and a couple of other ladies, had the simple task of tying the ribbons, but Bian had assigned Jia to the less glamorous job of box weaving.

Jia trudged over to the vat of water where she would have to soak the wicker material in order to weave it properly. She immediately recognized the woman she would be working with. It was Xiahou Yuan's wife, the woman who stood next to her in the farewell line, the woman who's child she saved.

"Lady Hou," the woman greeted as Jia sat down on the small stool provided. "I never got the chance to thank you for saving my little girl yesterday."

"Oh, there is no need for thanks, Lady…"

"Call me Tian," the woman offered her plump hand to Jia.

Jia shook the woman's hand fondly. "As long as you agree to call me Jia."

"Jia, it is."

Tian, a woman who Jia would never have considered talking to, simply because she wasn't the most pronounced beauty in the world, proved to be an excellent conversationalist, and a bright socialite. She was intelligent for most women, and shared the same kind of humor that Jia had. Jia smiled, maybe she would get something out of this. Maybe a life lesson, or maybe even a couple of new friends.

Jia went home to the safety of Dun's home. It had been a fun day all in all, but her hands ached like no other. Her manicure was fading away, her cuticles already showed signs of damage, and two of her nails were chipped. She grabbed a file and gave out a long sigh. Perhaps it would be better if she had some company…

Jia strode into the harem, receiving many different kinds of looks. Some cruel, others kind, some uncaring, some appalled. It was a big jumble of the emotions, just like always. Jia found it nice to have a constant in her life; the harem was a place she knew would never change.

She walked down to Lixian's room and gave her door a polite knock. Her friend greeted her wearing a lush tiger fur shawl and dazzling jewels draped around her neck. Jia wore her simple blue robes and looked very much out of place in the colorful harem.

"Jia!" Lixian smiled. "Its been too long. Come in, come in."

"How have you been Lixian?" Jia asked as she took a sip of jasmine tea.

"Bored out of my mind," she sighed. "How are you doing? You look very… worn."

Jia put her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand. "Bian's turned me into her little bitch. Without Mengde and without Dun, I'm completely helpless to her she-wolf wiles."

"I told Lord Cao about Lady Bian relocating your quarters the night before he left. He is concerned, however, he could not act on it before he left because there was much he had to do before the march."

Jia sighed. "Just my luck. Now I'm stuck answering to Bian's every beck and call until Cao Cao gets home and can slap that bitch into place."

"Jia!" Lixian protested, so sharply that Jia jumped. "You should not speak like that. It is bad luck to speak about our mistress like that."

"I've never been one to care about superstitions, you know that Lixian," Jia waved her off. "Besides, I'll probably get to it before Cao even gets home."

Lixian shook her head. "You never learn." The younger woman then reached across the table to examine her friend's hand. "What is she doing to you?"

Jia pulled her hand back. "I told you, I'm her goddamn slave." Jia then proceeded to tell her sworn sister about her new duties.

"My god," Lixian gasped. She, too, had known little life outside the luxury lifestyle of a Cao Mengde favorite. "That is just cruel. You have to physically weave the baskets? Isn't that hard?"

"A bit. The worst part is when the wicker pricks you in the hand. You get these nasty little splinters in the webbing between your fingers."

"That is torture. Lady Bian should know better than to treat _you_ of all people like that. Lord Cao will certainly have something to say about this. Lady Bian's jealousy is getting out of hand."

"She's getting old," Jia laughed. "She was a fine woman back in her day, back when you and I were just children. But she's past her prime, and Cao Cao doesn't love her, not like he used to, anyway."

"You're what? Twenty-three now? I'm nearly twenty-one," Lixian sounded uncharacteristically cold. "We still have a good twenty-five/thirty years before Cao Cao looses interest in us, before we're _old_ like our Lady."

Jia laughed louder. "See? You're getting the hang of this bitter wench thing, Lixian."

Lixian shook her head. "I spend too much time with you."

Jia woke at dawn and looked over at the modest blue robes that she had worn yesterday and shoved her head back into her pillow. These next few months were going to drag on forever.

* * *

I've started writing a set of drabbles that elaborates on Cao Cao, Lixian, and Bian's relationship with Jia. I think it'll be a good time. 


	8. Chapter 8

Hello. Sorry it's taken so long. So, straight to the point. Disclaimer: Koei owns everything except Jia and Lixian.

Now, I would like to take the time to thank the people who reviewed. All seven of my reviews. Gee, I'm proud. But anyway, thank you to the readers that I've had that have taken the time to review. It really does mean a lot to me. :'D

* * *

Long days turned into long weeks, long weeks turned into long months. A full cycle of four seasons had gone by with little word from the men at war. Every day Jia and the other women woke at dawn and worked until their entire bodies ached. Even Lady Bian, the woman that Jia thought got enjoyment out of working for the men, was tired of doing her female duties.

Jia had read all the way through _Lessons For Women_ twice since Bian delivered her that package. It wasn't a large book, but Jia had little time to read. Despite having read the novella twice, Jia still didn't understand why men wanted brainless drones for women. Wouldn't it be much more amusing to have a girl that had a mind of her own?

Jia had a lot of time to think about her relationships. Cao Cao, the man she loved, the man she would serve until her very last breath, and then there was Dun, a man she barely knew, the man she lived with. They both liked her, but for different reasons. Cao Cao was attracted to her _assets_ of course, like every man who ever managed to have a good look at Jia, but he loved her for her outspoken nature, her playfulness, her quick wit and sharp tongue. Then Dun who knew nothing but her body and what she liked to eat for breakfast. Yet both of these men had something different to offer; she was torn between a comfy life of a concubine, or the family life of a wife. Bian had it drilled into Jia's head that Dun would marry her, thus making her ineligible to being Cao Mengde's mistress any longer.

It had certainly been a long year filled with a jumble of emotions, laughter, anguish, friendship, and loneliness, but finally after everything, Cao Cao's massive army came marching home. Jia knew it the day that the eunuchs told the women to sleep in, to get some extra beauty sleep before their husbands came home. Bian had ordered new robes and new makeup supplies to be delivered to every woman. The cooks were busy cooking, and the tailors were busy sewing, and the women did nothing but rest.

Time had come for the troops to arrive. Jia wore the red dress and purple robe that had been delivered for her. A splash of gold makeup sparkled around her eyes and her lips were a sultry red. Her hair was in an intricate knot, something she rarely did. She stood in the same spot that she stood at when the army went away. She looked to her right, Luo standing proud as ever. Then to her left, Tian and her two children laughed happily together, waiting for Xiahou Yuan.

Jia looked forward and looked for the approaching army. She looked for nearly twenty minutes before seeing the specs of horses galloping toward the kingdom. It took another half an hour before they were finally in front of the waiting women. Jia was so excited. She saw Cao Cao, far away, and Dun and Yuan were right next to him. She couldn't see Dun clearly, but she did notice an aura about him; it was very sad, very angry. It was anything but pleasant.

The officers dismounted and the first thing that happened, was Yuan ran right for his family, and scooped up his children. Jia smiled at Tian, and Tian gave her a wink. But when Yuan looked at Jia, his joy faltered.

"Lady Hou," Yuan played uncomfortably with his hands. "My brother, Dun, you might notice something about him… You see, during the battle against Lu Bu--"

Yuan never got the chance to finish. Dun had neared Jia, and Jia was paying no attention to the younger Xiahou brother. She smiled at Dun, but her smile turned into worry as she saw his left eye; it was covered by an eye patch. What had happened to him?

"Dun…" Jia reached for him, but Dun pulled away and stormed right past her.

Jia pulled her hand back and watched him retreat away into the palace.

"His confidence is completely depleted," Yuan finished. "Right now might not be a good time to talk to him. Let him unwind, and try again at the banquet tonight, yes?"

Jia looked at Yuan with her puzzled eyes. "Yes," she reluctantly agreed. "I have to speak with Lord Cao, anyway. I'll see you tonight, Tian."

Jia's friend smiled sadly and nodded. "Of course."

Jia made her way to Cao Cao's private library and sent a messenger to him. She paced the floor impatiently. She had wanted to protest to what Bian had made her do in Cao's absence, but right now all she thought about was Dun.

Cao Cao entered the library, calm as ever. "Ah, Xiaojia, is there something you need?"

"What the hell happened to him, Mengde?"

Cao Cao frowned at the sudden hostility. "This isn't how you usually greet me, but to answer your question, he got injured."

"No fucking shit. What happened?" Jia glared at her lord.

"At Xia Pi, one of Lu Bu's archers managed to get a shot at Dun. Luckily, it hit his eye and was not fatal. One-in-a-million shot, it was."

"Don't fucking admire the shot!" Jia exclaimed. "So I've been worried sick about him, about you, and when I get back he ignores me and you ridicule me. Do I mean nothing to the both of you?"

"Xiaojia, give him time. He's still ashamed of it, and he probably doesn't want you to see it. He's afraid of losing you. Just talk to him at dinner, and it will all be fine."

"For my sake, I hope to god you're right."

Jia went down to the banquet alone. She scanned the main dining table and spotted the empty chair reserved for her. She quickly hustled over and took her seat. It was smack dab between Xiahou Dun and his younger brother. The moment Jia sat down Yuan greeted her with his hearty laugh.

"Nice to see you, little miss," he chuckled.

"You as well, Lord Xiahou."

Jia turned toward Dun and looked at him as he stared off to nowhere in particular. "Dun? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," was the curt response she received.

"Welcome home," she smiled at him, but got nothing from him. "I've missed you."

Dun turned to his cousin, Cao Cao, next to him and got his attention. "I'm going to head in early tonight."

"Yuanrang, stay a while more. Wouldn't you like to talk to Lady Hou a bit more? I'm sure she's been worried sick about you."

Cao Cao gave Jia a wink.

"I'm going to bed," Dun stated and got up to leave.

Jia looked at her former lover and frowned. "Well, that seemed to work, O brilliant Lord of Wei."

"Don't let him ruin your night Jia. Relax, have a drink, be with friends. Don't worry so much."

Jia eyed the drink that Cao Cao was pouring for her. She watched it carefully as he slid it over to her, and watched as he poured himself some wine.

"Cheers," he held his glass up.

Jia picked her goblet up and reached over to his. "Cheers."

Jia stumbled back to Dun's room. In her intoxicated form, she was numb to a lot, but not numb to the sounds she heard coming from inside Xiahou Dun's room. It was a woman, moaning his style name, and Dun trying his damnedest to shut her up. She put her hand on the doorknob but couldn't bring herself to open it. As long as it was just noises it could just be a bad dream, but the moment she saw it for real, it became a reality. So she threw her back against the wall and let herself slide down to the floor. She began crying erratically. Was this what Lady Bian felt when she heard her Mengde enjoying himself with Jia, with Lixian, with anyone other than her? The overwhelming guilt and loneliness she felt at that moment filled her and spilled out with her tears.

Jia closed her eyes and thought of sleep. Thought of how relieved she would be when she woke up the next day, woke up from this dream. But the thought that this was all real kept her awake. It shook her from her peace, from her fantasy.

She managed to get the attention of a eunuch and sent him to fetch her some wine, and when he returned, Jia drank and drank, until she hit the floor in her alcohol induced sleep.

Morning rolled over Jia as she slept, and the castle was quiet, calm. She didn't shift in her sleep and lay on the floor until an uncomfortable prod to her stomach woke her. She lifter herself off the floor, her hair disheveled. She looked up to see Dun in his favorite robe, his hair down and his face angry.

"Get inside before you embarrass me," he said and offered her a hand.

Jia glared at his hand for a moment and then turned her glare toward him. She lifted herself off the ground, completely ignoring his polite gesture, and leaned on the wall for support.

"Is she gone?" Jia asked as she fought tears. She didn't want him to see her cry, to give him the pleasure to know that she was jealous.

"Is who gone?" Dun asked.

"Don't play fucking dumb with me. You know as well as I do who I'm talking about," Jia glared at him and held her head.

"Get inside," Dun warned.

Jia brushed past him and hurled herself through the door. Dun hadn't even tried to pick up the evidence of his affair. His clothes littered the antechamber door, and Jia could see the rumpled bed sheets from where she stood. Plus that rank stench of sex was still in the air.

"She came on to me," Dun stated as he closed the door.

"Of course she did," Jia snorted. What nerve he had…

"I'm telling the truth," Dun sat down at his desk chair. "She followed me up here and just let herself inside."

"And the magical n-o word was completely obliterated from your vocabulary, I'm sure," Jia crossed her arms. Of course it wasn't Dun's fault, because he was king of the fucking world, and he could never make a mistake.

"I did it because I knew that once you saw me, saw this," Dun pointed at his eye. "You wouldn't want me anymore. I know I'm not good enough for you, I know you're repulsed."

Jia looked at him, she had never been this angry in her life. "Stop making fucking excuses! I'm the one who makes the decision of who repulses me and who doesn't! I was worried sick while you were away, and when you get back you ignore me, then I fuck a some servant girl? You could've at least asked for permissions first. Am I not enough for you, Xiahou Dun? Do you need more? A side dish that you can have whenever you want?"

"Its not like that, Jia," Dun looked at her sternly. "I'm not Mengde, and now I can't even compare with him in your eyes! I'm a nobody to you anymore, so I have to make due with what I can get."

"You disgust me," Jia spat at him.

Dun's eyes turned dark and he stood up and closed in on her. "What did you just say?"

"You fucking heard me." Jia's eyes must've betrayed her act of bravery and showed her inner fear because the next thing Jia knew, she was flying through the door, her cheek stinging, blood running down her face.

Jia's eyes were shut tight and when she landed. She cracked them open to see a remorseful Xiahou Dun looking at his hands like they weren't his. Jia brought a hand to her cheek and looked at him. He rushed over to her, and Jia scrambled to her feet, shock running through her body.

"Jia…" Dun cooed, and reached for her, but Jia backed away. "Jia, please…"

Jia's eyes grew wider with every step that Dun took toward her. He got close enough to touch her again before Jia finally got the courage to move. She ran. She ran away from Dun, leaving him upset and crying in the hallway. She ran toward the harem, hoping to seek refuge in Lixian's room, her only haven now. She ran with blurred visions, tears streamed down her face. She was in the hallway that led to the harem when she abruptly ran into something, someone rather. She fell down and landed with a soft thud. She looked up to the person she had run into, and immediately hurled herself at them. She was safe now, she just knew it.

* * *

And the plot thickens. Sorry it took so long on this one, but I've been working on those drabbles a bit. They're really fun; I've gotten into Jia's teenage years and when she meets Lixian. I'll probably post them up here once I get to like, the tenth chapter, or something. As always, read and review!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Koei owns Cao Cao, Xiahou Dun, and my life.

* * *

"My god, Xiaojia! What happened?" Cao Cao knelt down to the woman hugging his knees. He had come to pay his girls a visit, completely vulnerable to the surprise.

The lord lifted Jia's eyes to meet his and saw the damage that had been done to her. "Oh, Jia."

He wiped her bloody lips with his shirt sleeve and cradled her face gently in his hands. The concubine threw herself into her lord's chest and sobbed. She was so frightened at that moment; what if Dun came looking for her? What would he do to her if he saw her in Cao Cao's arms like this?

"Take me somewhere safe," Jia whispered. "Not your room, he'll find me there."

"Who will find you, Jia? What are you talking about?"

"Please, please, Mengde. I don't like begging very much," Jia grasped onto him as if he was the last thing keeping her alive. She'd never been hit before, and she had herself convinced that Dun wouldn't do that, not to her anyway.

"Shh, its okay," Cao Cao picked her up and cradled her like a child. There must be someplace…

He carried her to his private library, the place where they had had all of their secret meetings. It was their private rendezvous point, their place of peace. Cao sat the woman he loved on his desk and looked around for something to clean her face with. He found a silk scarf draped on his office chair and a vase of water that once held a fine bouquet of roses.

"Jia," Cao Cao comforted as he washed her face. "What happened?"

"Dun he… he…" Jia looked over to the door. "Can anyone hear us?"

"No, I sent the eunuchs and guards away, and the door is locked. Its completely private. Now tell me, what did Dun do?"

"Well, last night he had a woman in his room and I slept out in the hall, then when he woke me up this morning we had an argument," Jia looked at her worn hands. "I guess I kind of provoked him, so I guess I deserve--"

"No one deserves this," Cao Cao warned. "Especially not you."

Cao discarded the wet scarf on the floor and took Jia's hands in his own. As he rubbed them he noticed how rough they were now. They were never like this before…

"Xiaojia, your hands…" Cao looked at her. "He didn't do this to you."

"Your wife, Lady Bian," Cao eyed her strangely. "She said I was to embroider and make supply baskets with the other women while you were away."

"She _what_?" Cao was suddenly very angry. "That woman…"

Jia pulled him back before he could venture off to scold his wife. "No, please, Mengde. Stay with me."

Cao Cao wrapped his arms protectively around Jia. He loved her damnit, and none of this would be happening if he hadn't given her up.

"From now on, you answer to no one but me. Not to Lady Bian, not to Dun. You will take orders from no one, is that clear?" Cao looked at her sternly.

"Yes. Yes, sir," Jia smiled at him as best she could.

"Good," Cao smiled back. His dark eyes gave her the ever popular Cao family smile. It was a smile that could truly ruin a woman. "You are mine, Jia, and nobody else's. No one will lay a finger on you ever again, I promise you that."

"Mengde," Jia whispered back.

"Hm?"

"Kiss me."

Jia didn't have to ask him twice. Cao Cao smiled and pressed his lips to Jia's. Feelings swarmed over the concubine, feelings she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt the warm feeling of love that she had pined for for longer than a year. She caved into his arms, his loving embrace, as Cao Cao drew the kiss out longer than Jia had expected; not like she minded, though.

Cao Cao was a man who would never change; he loved beautiful women, and he had a problem keeping his hands to himself. Soon, Jia found the folds of her dress being prodded at by the lord's always wandering hands. Jia thought of Dun, and how unfair this was to him, but he deserved it, didn't he? Jia egged her lord on by slipping her hands in Cao's loosening robes.

She felt his smooth pectorals, something she really missed doing. It was strange how Dun and Cao were cousins, yet they shared few similarities. Dun was shorter, stockier, and all over, more muscular. But Cao Cao was long and slender, not frail, but his muscles weren't overpowering either.

It wasn't long before Cao Cao's hands were traveling the length of Jia's thighs. By this point, he had pushed Jia onto her back, knocking several miscellaneous things from Cao's desk. His hands wandered higher and higher until he found what he was looking for, and at that moment Jia let go of any and all thoughts of Xiahou Dun, and just enjoyed herself.

Cao Cao and his love sat naked in front of the library fireplace wrapped up Cao's thick robes. They sipped tea and said barely a thing to one another; the silence was comforting. Cao Cao's hand rubbed Jia's now calloused hands and thought bitterly of his wife.

"I cannot believe her," Cao Cao thought out loud. "First, she moves your quarters without running a single mad thought of hers by me, then she uses your disadvantages to force you to do the work of a common woman."

"I knew and still know nothing of her intentions," Jia comforted. "But I cannot say it was an entirely bad experience. It was enriching, if nothing else. I made friends, and regained some of my dormant domestic skills. I cannot complain."

"I can," Cao seemed to think long and hard. "Xiaojia, you will return to your new quarters in the harem, and will gain half of the Queen's salary for the month, as well as the next, and any other month when I decide you deserve it."

"Mengde, I cannot accept--"

"You will receive all jewels and robes commissioned for her within the next month as well."

"Please, this isn't necessary…"

"On top of that, you will receive a raise on your normal allowance, and will be awarded all of your old staff back."

Jia looked at her lord thoughtfully. His boyish smile appeared on his face and he laughed. It was strange, really, because there wasn't anything funny about the situation. He had unofficially stripped his wife of half of her rights as Queen, and found it humorous. Jia looked at him strangely.

"Come, I will formalize it now," Cao Cao got up, completely dropped the robe from his body, and walked over to his desk in his naked glory.

Jia scrambled to her feet and followed him, his robes wrapped tightly around her body. She sat down at the edge of the desk as Cao wrote the order on a piece of parchment. She admired the objects that belonged on the desk that were now on the floor. She also ran her hand along a new crack in the wood, and stopped right before she touched something undesirable.

"Ew," Jia's nose scrunched in disgust. Next to her fingers was a bit of a mess that Cao and Jia had made when they were expressing love for one another.

Jia looked at the sleeve of Cao Cao's robe that she was wearing, and wiped up the mess before anyone accidentally touched it.

"Saw that," the lord laughed without looking up at Jia. "You're too precious."

"I know," Jia laughed playfully. "How you gave me up in the first place, I'll never know."

Cao chuckled again. "Me either."

"I'll never understand you, or any man."

Cao Cao didn't answer right off; he was signing the document. He blew on the wet ink and admired his calligraphy.

"Men are easy to understand. Its women who are hardest to read."

Jia crossed her arms. "I understand women just fine."

"That, my dear, is because you are one," Cao Cao stood up, still naked, and stood in front of his concubine. "You speak that hidden language of riddles and glances. I think planning a battle is easier than comforting my wives after I come to visit you."

Jia looked up past her brow line and at the handsome face of her lord and smiled. He was such a child sometimes. Even the mightiest of men could be so simple.

Cao Cao sighed dramatically. "But still, as fed up with women as I get," he stroked Jia's cheek softly. "I cannot stay away. I think you have bewitched me."

"You know, since women make you so angry and confused, you don't have to have women, my Lord," Jia teased. "There are other ways of getting pleasure."

Cao wagged his finger. "That's naughty talk," Cao Cao laughed. "Besides, even the most flamboyant men couldn't turn you away."

"Stop flirting with me," Jia laughed. "Zhang He misses you."

Cao chuckled. For the first time in months, he was truly happy. He hadn't been miserable, per se, but his life felt unfulfilled, like there was something the was missing. He realized at that moment that it was Jia's laughter, her smile, her touch, every essence about her that had been missing from his life for these long months.

The great lord of Wei took the woman's face in his hands, as if it was the only thing that mattered in the world. He smiled a genuine smile, a rare gift from the icy man, and Jia gladly returned the gesture. Jia thought of Dun's smile, quickly, and had to shake her head to release herself from the onslaught of emotions she felt. All in one moment, she felt Dun's hands, heard his voice, saw his face, but she also had the sensations of Cao Mengde rushing inside and out her. She looked up at Cao, his face hinted at worry.

"Let's go. The world will wonder where you have gone if you stay away too long," Jia hopped off the desk and took Cao Cao by the hand.

She knew the moment she stepped out of the library, life was going to get a hell of a lot more complicated.

* * *

Another one done. I've been really creative recently. I've started yet another story, and this one's pretty decent, and I think it might find its way up here. Watch out for it!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: You know what Koei owns. I own everything else.

Eee! I love all the reviews I've been getting recently. It seems like I have a solid twenty readers, which excites me. This is the longest I've ever stuck with a story.

* * *

A rogue whisper found its way into Jia's ear as she slept. She woke with a smile, despite the rude awakening. The past month with Cao Cao had been like a dream. She lolled her head back into her pillow for a brief moment before rising to see what was amiss.

She crept into the main room of the harem and stood in the hall. She heard the younger girls whispering things softly to one another. Jia made sure to stay hidden in the shadows and kept an ever hungry ear open for gossip.

"Did you go back to his room?" a girl with a soft voice asked.

"I did! I have been going back every other night for weeks," the second voice was shrill, yet it sounded familiar.

Jia listened closer. Who were they talking about?

"What did he say? What did he do?" the first voice inquired.

"He always sends me back before I can get a word in! He blames me for his misfortunes, I suppose. You know it's not my fault. If that woman had actually cared about him, like I do, Yuanrang wouldn't be so upset."

Jia's eyes instantly glared. Yuanrang; Dun's style name. Jia had always thought it an ugly name, and hardly ever spoke it. Yet this girl said it like it was honey on her tongue. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, before something hit her.

That shrill voice from that one night a month ago was in the next room. The girl, the bitch, that was with Dun a month ago, the one that she heard moaning his style name.

Jia threw herself into view, and the other two girls gasped. Her eyes were cold, uncaring, as they often were when dealing with people she did not like. She got close to the girls and looked at them.

"What are you ladies doing up?" she asked.

"We were just talking, Miss Jia. Did we wake you?"

"Obviously," she scoffed. "What was it you were just saying, miss, about Lord Xiahou?"

The girl with the soft voice looked to the other girl, as if to say 'well, tell her!'.

"I… We were saying how upset he is at the loss of his mistress, my lady," the shrill voiced woman said.

Jia looked down at the girl. "What is your name?"

"Pei Ling," the girl was nervous now, Jia could see it.

"Pei Ling? What a boring name. I might not remember it," Jia laughed venomously. "Go to bed you two. And may I remind you, you are consorts of Lord Cao Cao, not General Xiahou Dun. If either of you stray from his bed and enter a liaison with another without permission, punishment will be immediate expulsion. Good night, ladies."

Jia found her way back to her room and slid inside the warmth of her bed. She could not sleep, however, knowing that the girl who stripped Dun away from her was in the next room. She lay awake, an idle stare settled on her face, all through the night.

--

It was midday and Jia was completely furious. She had never stopped thinking about Pei Ling; the girl was pretty, but not pretty enough, she knew. Jia had asked Lixian about her, and had discovered that Cao Cao neglected her, like he did many girls because he had his favorites, like Jia and Lixian. Even Lady Bian got more attention than the young girls.

Jia tapped her fingers on her tea table, waiting impatiently for the opportunity to go tell Mengde of Pei Ling's affair with Dun. However, her lord and lover was busy attending to state affairs and could not be bothered. Jia looked out the window and something caught her eye. In the distance she could see Lady Bian's estate, and a wicked smile grew across the concubine's face.

Jia wore a lush fur around her shoulders as she walked to Lady Bian's quarters. She gave a small knock on the woman's common room door, the room where she had spent every single day making Wei emblems and baskets for an entire year. She called for one of Lady Bian's eunuchs to fetch her and waited.

Bian entered the room as graceful as ever. As unpleasant as Bian was, and no matter how old, the aged beauty would always have that sense of mystery about her. Jia had always been captivated by this bittersweet woman, and would probably always be.

"Oh, its _you_," Bian scoffed. "Come tell me how wonderful my husband was last night?"

"You know I don't kiss and tell, Tai," Jia laughed.

Bian gave Jia the coldest look. "Never call me that again."

Jia laughed again. "I'm sorry, my Lady. However, I didn't come here to talk to you about Mengde, rather, I need your help."

"With what? You're so perfect, I don't see how you could need help with a thing!"

"One of the concubines has been unfaithful to our Lord. Perhaps you could mention it to Mengde."

"You have no proof to present me with," Bian watched the younger woman cautiously.

"Do I need any? The girl's name is Pei Ling and roughly a month ago she had an affair with General Xiahou Dun, our lord's cousin."

"Pei Ling… I know that name," Bian poured tea for herself and Jia. "She's Lady Chen's daughter, I believe. You and I were both top showgirls at The Chrysanthemum House once. Lady Chen recently passed away; perhaps Mengde took the girl in as a gesture of kindness to the departed Lady Chen."

Jia scoffed. Mengde didn't like the brothel mistress that much. "I doubt he would do that. He wouldn't take her into his harem, anyway. He'd adopt her."

Bian shrugged. "Perhaps it is best she's expulsed, anyway. Knowing the kind of business Lady Chen ran, little Pei Ling is probably no better than her mother. I talk to Mengde about the girl… on one condition."

"What is it, my Lady?" Jia knew Bian would do this to her.

"Try to mend your ties with General Xiahou. Try, at least. I'm not saying jump back into his bed, just try to mend your friendship with him."

"But he--"

"I know what he did, Miss Jia, and I do not approve of such violence. However, as long as you're not foolish around him again, I believe you will have better luck this time around."

Jia eyed the older woman strangely. She was a conniving woman, Jia learned that as a child. She was planning something, Jia knew it, but she could truly never know what great motives lay in the mind of Bian Tai.

"You are a great and terrible beauty, my lady," Jia said as she sat up and prepared to leave. She walked to the door and took one last glance at the aged woman. "Why Lord Cao tires of you, I'll never know."

And with that, Jia was gone from Bian's sight. Jia smiled to herself as she passed the endless numbers of her Lady's servants. Perhaps Lady Bian was a better ally than enemy.

Jia looked at the rush of excitement in the harem from the hall that connected to her room. Imperial guards had stormed the place and found little Pei Ling and bound her by the arms. Cao Mengde, who could either be the man of your dreams or the demon in your nightmares, strolled up shortly after and looked at Pei Ling as if he'd never seen her in his life.

"Chen Pei Ling," a eunuch at Cao Cao's side announced. "You are hereby decreed an adulteress. You are to have your face branded and you are to be exiled to the far north for punishment for this crime. Punishment will proceed immediately."

Jia watched as Pei Ling struggled against the guards, and watched as her young eyes looked at Jia with an intense hate that she had never seen before. Jia was utterly pleased, and smiled as Pei Ling was dragged out of sight.

Jia's eyes then looked to her lover, Cao Cao. She watched him as he watched her; a never ending cycle of loving glances. Without a word, the great lord of Wei held a hand out to the concubine, one that Jia could not refuse. She strode up graceful as ever and took his hand as if he was hers, and hers alone.

The two still did not speak a word, however, Cao led Jia from the harem and to his quarters.

Jia lay curled up in Cao Cao's arms in amazement. He was always wonderful to her. Not once did he ever disappoint her. As he stroked her back, she felt a small tickle and couldn't help but think of when she and Dun tickled each other senseless. She would never be able to do that with Cao Mengde.

"You are amazing," Cao Cao whispered as he stroked his concubine's back.

Jia smiled and cuddled closer to the lord. There was something comforting about being in his arms again, but she felt something missing. She missed feeling relaxed around someone, she missed acting like a child. She missed waking up and seeing a lover's face, his sleepy eyes, Dun's husky voice…

Jia's eyes snapped wide open. She'd been Dun's lover for only a week, yet feelings for him were strong inside of her, as if she just couldn't let go. It was so easy for her to fall in love, and Xiahou Dun was no exception. She recalled her first love, and she could still feel little remnants of emotion there, and what she had with Dun, however short it was, was still a warm flame in her heart.

She relaxed in Cao Cao's arms and searched for that place where she just fit perfectly. With Dun, his arm slung around her felt so natural, yet with Cao, she had to find that spot every single time.

She found it, however, and was as comfortable as ever. She knew in a short time she would have to return back to the harem, but for now, she was content laying in her lord's arms.

Jia crept into her quarters late in the night. Cao Cao had just sent her off, and she was blissfully unaware of anything and everything around her. As she pushed the door open, she noticed a flickering candle on her tea table. She watched the candle for a moment before shrugging it off and pushing the door fully open. But lo and behold, sitting in the chair, back to her, was a guest that Jia wasn't quite ready to welcome.

* * *

Oh no! Who could it possibly be? Well, I guess you'll just have to wait and find out. :3


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I own nothing except Jia and Lixian.

So guys, since you don't know, tomorrow is my birthday! I'm finally turning sixteen and gaining all those exciting sixteen-year-old privilages. I can finally send in for my license. :B I'm pretty cool.  
So, as a birthday gift from me to you, here's a new update!

Oh! I almost forgot! Don't forget to check out my new story, _Life of a Concubine_. Its about Jia's life, so if you want like a little backstory on our favorite harlot, here's your chance. Who knows, if I'm feeling up to it, I might even update _LoaC_ tomorrow. Keep watching!

* * *

"General Xiahou, what are you doing here?" Jia inquired as she closed the door quietly. Perhaps this was the best way to go about things.

"I've missed you," Dun lamented as he slouched in the chair. "I can't stop thinking about you. Day in and day out, you haunt me."

Jia thought of nothing to say, so she paced slowly across the room and took the vacant seat opposite of the one-eyed general.

"How long have you been here?" Jia asked quietly.

Dun's eye looked up beyond his wispy black bangs at the concubine. "Since nightfall. Your maid let me in."

Jia remained quiet as she eyed her former lover intensely. What was his intention of being here?

"I heard about what happed to Pei Ling," Dun shifted in his seat slightly. This was still a very raw subject.

"Oh, you have, have you? Do you miss her or something?" Jia's brow furrowed.

Dun placed his hand firmly on the table. "The only woman I miss is you."

Jia watched Dun's left hand fidget within his pocket. She then followed the long line of his arm to his face and watched his expression. He looked very tired, first and foremost. His eyes were pink along the edges and dark circles began to appear underneath his eyes.

"Are you happy?" Dun asked so suddenly that Jia jumped.

Jia pondered on that for a while. She ran so many thoughts through her head. She thought of her time with Dun and her many years with Cao Cao. She ran her hands along the smooth fabric of her robes. She closed her eyes, and then opened them, and suddenly, she burst.

"No, I am not happy."

"Why no--"

"Because every goddamn moment of every goddamn day I feel like my heart's been torn in half! I love you, I love Mengde, but I can't fucking have both!" she felt tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "You both have betrayed me, and you both have loved others, yet I still can't just forget either of you."

Jia watched as Dun stood up and began pacing about. He was nervous, Jia could tell.

"I didn't want to leave you like I did, Dun. I didn't want to leave you at all. I wanted to help you heal, help you back on your feet. I wanted to be the one to hold you at night. Damn it, Dun."

Jia was crying at this point and words just left her. She was struggling to keep such good composure, but she felt it was a fight she could win. As upset as she was, and as much as she wanted to cry her eyes out, Dun's presence was enough to give her strength.

"I didn't mean to hit you that night," Dun whispered as he stood in front of Jia. He suddenly dropped to his knee and pulled something from his pocket.

Jia watched him with bewildered eyes. He wouldn't be stupid enough to…

"This was my mother's," Dun explained as he wrapped a silver chain around Jia's wrist. "I meant to give it to you before I left for the war. Now, I want it to remind you of my feelings for you."

"What feelings?" Jia eyed the man, her eyes still surprised.

She saw him gulp, a rare thing to notice in a human. "These feelings."

It was slow as Dun touched Jia's face to pull her down into a kiss. He was shaking all over, Jia could feel it. He had every reason to be nervous; this moment could help him or hurt him.

Jia's own breath hitched as her face neared Dun's. Her mind thought this wrong, but her heart felt otherwise. She leaned into him as he kissed her.

It was nothing like the first time they had kissed. There was no lust behind their motives, just passion pushing the two forward. Jia felt herself slip off the chair and onto the floor with Dun. She hugged him tightly as she was pulled deeper and deeper into the kiss.

Dun was the first to pull away, but Jia strained to lengthen the kiss.

"I should get going before someone sees me," Dun whispered as he held the woman close to his body.

"Let them see," Jia whispered back. Cao Mengde didn't matter in that moment. The only thing that mattered was Dun.

"My cousin wouldn't appreciate this very much," Dun reminded her. "You said it yourself; you can't have us both."

Jia nuzzled Dun close. "Just stay a little longer, please? Lay with me until I fall asleep."

Jia could feel Dun nod. She smiled and pushed away from Dun. She rose to her feet, offered Dun a hand, and walked to her bed, her hand in his.

The two lovers lay in bed silently, the only noise was their soft breathing. Dun watched Jia intently as her eyelids began to droop. He smiled as the woman in his arms closed her eyes and fell asleep on his chest. He knew the mistakes he made with Jia a month ago; it had all started the moment he had arrived home from war. He knew she thought of him every day. He knew Lady Bian expected him to propose to her, and he knew he wanted to. But his insecurities and jealous tendencies thrust the only woman he had ever loved into the arms of the last person he wanted to.

But now he was in the fight to win her heart. He now knew he could compete with Cao Cao. He was in the running for Jia's heart, and no one, not even the great Cao Mengde, a man who could woo a woman with his words alone, could get in his way.

The hallway to Jia's room was silent as the two lovers embraced, but it was not empty. A tall, slender figure rest in the hallway with their back against the wall. The person smiled and crossed their arms across their chest. Everything seemed to be going smoothly for this person. A red mouth closed, and the figure faded into the shadows.

--

"Lixian!" Jia called from her friend's antechamber. "Lixian, are you up?"

A muffled groan came from the other room. "Jia, is that you?"

"Come in, Jia," a second voice called.

"Mengde?" Jia asked herself as she pushed the door open.

Jia walked into a scene that she hadn't ever walked into before. She knew it happened, but it was just plain awkward to see Lixian and Mengde in bed together.

"Ah! I'm sorry, my lord. I can come later," Jia said as she began to retreat from the room.

"No, no, Xiaojia. I won't interrupt you ladies."

Jia's face showed a lot of discomfort as she took a seat at Lixian's teatable. She studied the pair in front of her. Lixian and Cao Cao both naked taking refuge under Lixian's countless blankets.

"If you don't mind my inquiry, Lord Cao, but why are you here so early?" Jia asked.

Instantly, Lixian's face turned red and she buried her head into Cao's shoulder. Cao Mengde's face was far from embarrassed, however. He was unhindered by the personal question and answered with ease.

"Its been a while since I've seen Lixian. I wanted to surprise her," Cao stroked his other concubine's arm.

Jia scratched her head quickly before standing up. "Well, I don't want to intrude. I'll come back later."

Before either person could protest, Jia was out the door. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Jia was lying in her bed staring at a tapestry across the room when a knock at the door startled her. She jumped up and looked to the door.

"Jia, its me," Jia heard Lixian call.

"Come in," Jia replied with an airy voice.

When Lixian entered, Jia couldn't bring herself to look at her sister. The morning's event was still a fresh wound in Jia's mind. It was one thing to know that the person you love was in love with others, but it was a completely different thing to witness with your own eyes.

"Now I know why Mengde calls us to him instead of coming to us," Lixian said a little awkwardly as she sat on the edge of Jia's bed. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that would happen."

Jia waved the younger woman off. "Don't be sorry. Its completely understandable. Its his palace, he can do what he wants."

Lixian smiled at her older sister. "So, what is it that you wanted to talk about this morning?"

Jia bit her lip and decided what to tell Lixian. Tell her the truth or, perhaps, Lixian might not the right person to tell.

"Oh it was nothing. I just feel a little guilty about Pei Ling," Jia lied.

In truth, Jia wanted to tell Lixian about Dun's visit to her room last night, but seeing Lixian with Cao Cao, Jia just didn't feel safe telling her information that could potentially get her expelled from the harem.

"Don't feel guilty about that! That girl knew what would happen if she was unfaithful to Lord Cao. Serves her right, that little harlot," Lixian soothed.

But the words did nothing to comfort Jia, but rather, they frightened her more. Jia knew she wanted to be with Dun, but Cao Cao would not take the news lightly.

Jia suddenly threw herself out of bed. "Excuse me, Lixian. I have to go."

And suddenly, Jia was gone.

* * *

Apparently, Jia's the master of awkward moments. I feel like this chapter was especially short, and I apologize. As always, read and review!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Koei owns all the DW characters, I own everything else.

Hello everyone. Sorry its been so long since I've updated last. Its spring break for me and I do have a life away from the keyboard. But here's a new chapter, at long last. I think I'm only going to drag this out for three more chapters until its finally done, but I'll keep updating LoaC, because I said I would.

* * *

Jia's hand met with the hardest wood she had ever felt in her life. She knocked away at the mahogany door waiting for a response. After a minute or so, she started kicking at the door.

"Lady Bian! Are you in there?" Jia called as she continued to knock.

"Jia?" a soft voice came from behind the concubine.

Jia gasped and twirled around, only to come face to face with the one and only, Cao Cao. Jia's eyes widened; Mengde would be suspicious as to why Jia was visiting her enemy.

"My lord," Jia said as calmly as she could, as she lowered herself into a curtsey.

The ever thoughtful lord of Wei looked down upon his concubine. "I wanted to talk to you, actually."

Jia's heart begin to race. Did he hear about Dun's visit last night? Even worse, did he see them?

"Of course, Lord Cao. Anything to please His Majesty."

"Come, we'll use Lady Bian's room for privacy…" Cao Cao offered with a wide grin.

As he pushed the door open, Jia grabbed his arm. "This consort must humbly disagree, my Lord," Jia protested as politely as possible. "This consort is not sure if Her Majesty, Lady Bian, would approve."

"Lady Bian does not run this estate," Cao Cao said as he pushed Jia into the room softly. "Come, it will be fine. Lady Bian is on her way to visit Cao Ang. Surely you remember him?"

Jia's brow furrowed in confusion as Cao Cao closed the door. The harem was always notified if Lady Bian left on any expedition. Usually a fair share of Mengde's concubines accompanied the Queen. If Cao Cao was lying…

"You and Lady Bian have become friendly recently?" Cao Mengde asked as he examined his wife's bedroom.

"Lady Bian has shown this consort much kindness recently," Jia bowed. "This consort is very grateful that her queen could spare time for such a humble creature."

Jia looked straight at the ground as Cao Cao examined her from afar. Something was wrong; Jia could feel it. Her breath hitched in nervousness as the king of Wei closed in on her.

"The Queen has also shown an increasing amount of generosity to my cousin, Dun. Perhaps you know something about this, Xiaojia."

Jia's head lowered even further. She began to sweat. Things were not looking very bright for her.

"This consort is sorry to disappoint you, my Lord," Jia panicked. "But she knows nothing of this."

"I am not a fool, Jia," Cao said roughly as he grabbed Jia by the arm and pulled the concubine into his chest. "I know my cousin still longs for you, and I know Lady Bian wishes to remove you from my bed. Dun is jealous of me, and Bian is jealous of you. They are plotting, I know it. You know more than you'd like to admit, don't you, Xiaojia?"

"My Lord, this consort--"

"You are mine, Hou Jia!" Cao Cao whispered so harshly Jia cringed. "Do not forget that!"

Jia said nothing, but shook in her lord's arms. He still had a vice grip around her. Her ribs ached, but that was quickly fading into a thought at the back of her mind. The only thing running through her head was how vulnerable she was at the moment. Alone in a room with an angry Cao Mengde was not a good situation.

"Lixian told me you had a visitor last night," Cao stated as he pushed Jia away from him. "It was Dun, wasn't it?"

Jia's heart felt so heavy in that moment. "Yes…"

"You slept with him, didn't you?" Cao Cao was suddenly quiet. He look lost, as if something inside of him had broken.

"No, I wouldn't," Jia took in a long breath before continuing. "Mengde, you have to understand…"

"Understand what, Jia?" the lord was suddenly angry again.

"Understand that you're not the only one in my heart!" Jia yelled back Cao Cao.

"Jia," Cao Cao warned. Talk like that could get her expelled.

"You fucking hypocrite," Jia let loose. "You love me, but I'm not the only girl, am I? Do you know how I feel now, not to be someone's entire world? Think about all the years I've just been one of many women in your heart, all the years you've loved me and Lixian, all the years you've hurt us both!

"Do you ever think about your wife, huh? Poor Lady Bian never gets visited by the man she loves more than anything in this world! She would give her life to save yours, yet you can't spare an hour from your day to drop in and show her that she's important to you.

"How does it feel, Mengde, how does it feel to be betrayed?"

Cao Cao watched Jia with amazement as she fumed. He studied all the emotions surging through the woman as she let herself fall onto Bian's bed. Years of her frustrations had just hit him in the face, and it hurt, yes, but for the first time, he saw Jia for what she was; a human, a person, not just a blank mind inside a beautiful body. The superficial exterior of Jia was now obliterated in his eyes; now all he saw was a very raw, a very real, and a very vulnerable woman.

"He will hurt you again," Cao Cao said softly as Jia huffed on the bed.

It was arousing to the lord as he watched his concubine ignore him. She continued to look up at the ceiling, the look of determination plastered on her face. Jia was strong, stronger than he had ever imagined, and it attracted him to no end.

A woman who could fight back; the thought of that made him wild. Of course every woman he had the pleasure of having had come willingly, but how exciting would it be if the woman was not so willing.

Cao Cao walked slowly to the bed and propped himself up over the woman. He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned away, her eyes refusing to look at him.

"Don't," she hissed.

"I am your king, do not forget that," Cao Cao warned.

Jia glared up at him. "I wouldn't care if you were the fucking emperor. Anyone with half a brain would know that right now is not the time to woo a woman."

"You are mine," Cao seethed. "I can have you whenever I want."

The ever wandering Cao Mengde hands had found their way to Jia's thighs and started moving their way up. But Jia showed no signs of faltering.

"If you force anything upon me, Mengde…"

Without notice, Cao Cao had his lips on Jia's in a rough kiss. Jia's hands struggled against her lord's chest as he began to peel her layers of clothes away, ripping many of the layers in the process. Jia had managed to free her mouth long enough to yell a single word.

"Stop!" she screamed, but the lord was not hindered.

Cao Cao laughed right before he covered Jia's mouth again.

"Tell me you love me," Cao Cao whispered as he began to undress himself.

Jia glared at him as he threw his tunic to the floor. "I love Xiahou Dun."

Cao Cao had one hand on the string of his pants and he glared at the woman beneath him. How dare she say that? He pulled on the string, painfully slow, but something had gone terribly wrong. Before he had the chance to fully disrobe, a pair of hands had grabbed his back and had thrown him to the ground.

"What in the world…?" Lady Bian's voice was a beacon of light to Jia for once. "General Xiahou, please! Let go of my husband! He is your king, do not hurt him!"

Jia hadn't noticed that she had closed her eyes and finally brought herself to open them. The scene before her had frightened her half to death; Dun and Mengde fighting like brutes on the floor, and Lady Bian trying her damnedest to keep them from ripping the other apart.

"Miss Jia, don't just stare!" Bian pleaded as she put herself right in the line of fire.

Jia gathered a blanket around her naked body and forced herself out of the bed. She grabbed Dun's waist as tightly as she could and held on. She felt Dun's muscles relax the moment she wrapped her arms around him, and finally let go as he stopped moving altogether.

"Oh, Jia," Dun said as he dropped to his knees to join Jia on the ground. "Are you alright? Oh god, Jia…"

Jia noticed herself crying and put a hand to Dun's face. "I'm fine, I'm fine now."

Jia's eyes then strayed beyond Dun's face and then to Cao Mengde, who sat in a chair with the blankest stare on his face. He seemed to be whispering something to himself. His wife, Lady Bian, comforted him and brought him a blanket, like any good wife would do.

"This is fucked up," Jia stated as she let herself fall on her behind. She tugged the blanket around her body tighter and grabbed for Dun's hand.

"Dun," Cao Cao said suddenly. "Take Jia away. Damnit, take her and keep her. She's not safe with me anymore."

Jia watched Dun look at his cousin with sympathy. How Dun could be ready to tear out the man's throat one moment, and then feel sorry for him the next, she would never know.

Lady Bian's head turned to the two adults on the ground and gave them a stern look. "You heard your king. Leave us."

Jia and Dun scrambled to their feet and were out the door and on their way to the harem.

* * *

So I really hate this chapter. Honestly. It sounds so cliche, like ew. Its just so poorly written, haha.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own Xiahou Dun, Cao Cao, Xiahou Yuan, etc. etc. I do, however, own Jia and Lixian.

So, first of all, I'm really, really sorry I haven't updated in like seven months. I've been sidetracked writing more fanfics (that I don't think are worthy enough to post here) and I kind of brushed this story off to the side. But I reread it today and decided I would finish chapter 13, and then start with 14. I really hope I can have the rest of this fic done soon.

* * *

Jia remained speechless as she hurried about her room throwing various silk garments into her large wooden trunks. Dun watched her from the edge of the bed as she moved between crying and packing. Her movements were frantic; years of practicing perfect movements and grace left her in that moment. For now, her biggest concern was leaving the harem and never looking back. She threw her hairpins sloppily into a wicker box before stuffing them into her last wooden chest.

She looked to the furs on her bed and scurried over to gather them. She pulled on the ones under Dun, and the seasoned warrior looked at the woman with his one eye.

"Forget about them," Dun comforted as he stroked Jia's arm. "I'll get you new furs."

Jia's eyes followed the length of Dun's arm to read his face, and found emotions that were too complex for her tired mind to comprehend. Instead, she rose to her feet and attempted to recompose herself. With the smallest of smiles, the concubine looked down to her lover with tired eyes.

"I'll send for eunuchs to move my things," she said quietly before flitting to the door.

As Jia rounded the corner out of her room, she came nose to nose with a person she had least expected to see, with several eunuch's in tow

"No need to send for them, _sister_," Lixian seethed.

"Lixian? Oh Gods, you'll never --"

"Oh, I know all about it, Jia," Lixian scoffed.

"What's gotten into you?" Jia asked with pure concern as she grabbed her sworn sister by the shoulders.

Lixian smacked Jia's hands away. "Do you know how many days, how many months Mengde has come to you for comfort? How many years he has put me second?" Lixian slapped Jia across the face. "You are the only person in his heart, and there is no more room for me. You are numb, stupid even, to throw away Mengde for that mongrel in your room.

"You are fool. I have tried my whole life to be your equal, not your understudy. I have always wanted to be loved by Mengde as you have so I can be your true equal, not your little pet, Lixiao. I have followed you everywhere, listened to every word you've said to try to learn how you have won Lord Cao's heart.

"I have watched you throw away your success, my dream, by loving that barbarian in your room. You are not my sister anymore. You are a lowly common whore."

Jia could do nothing but stare back at Lixian. The words that had just come from her sworn sister's mouth was as painful as being shot in the heart. Jia put a hand to her chest, as if the crushing sensation wasn't real. As much as she wanted to cry, and as much as she wanted to appease her sister by running back to Cao Cao, Jia sucked it up and looked Lixian straight in the eye.

"I love Dun, Lixian," Jia's face stayed strong, even as her heart broke. "And if you want Mengde, take him. I am not subjecting myself to this heartbreak ever again."

Lixian's face tensed into an angry frown as she whipped herself around and pushed her way through the parade of eunuchs, who stood attentively at Jia's front.

"Move my things to General Xiahou's room," Jia ordered as she waved the eunuchs away. "And tell him I'll be in the dining hall."

Jia sat at a small breakfast table alone with an unmarked peach in her hands. She rolled the fruit from one hand to the other contemplating her life, as she had been doing often these days. She had come so far from the lowly farm girl she once was, and her forever bright light was becoming dimmer and dimmer as her life became unclear.

She had always thought Cao Cao was all she could ever want, ever need, even. But now she knew the other side, the ambitious side of the great lord. On the other hand she had the humble, yet forever distant Xiahou Dun. They were great men and polar opposites, and each had grabbed a part of Jia's heart and ripped it away.

But the remaining piece of her heart, Jia knew, was reserved for the one person she knew would never break her heart. She had saved that piece of herself for that one person forever, and promised no matter what life threw at her, she'd always keep her heart true for them, but they had just shattered it.

Lixian had always been Jia's sanity, her voice of reason, but now there was nothing, just a void feeling of despair in between her breaking heart. Lixian had been Jia's anchor to the world, but now there was nothing, and she knew she could never run back to her. She had always thought that Lixian was the one person who would never deceive her, the one person she could trust with her heart and soul, but even from the beginning, the younger girl had been plotting. Its true that Lixian enjoyed Jia's company, but Lixian wanted to be displayed on a pedestal like Jia had been since the day Cao Cao had picked her as a favorite.

Jia now marked all the innocent things Lixian did as malicious. The way Lixian would admire her as she fixed her hair, makeup, and clothes, the way she always showed concern for Jia's relationship with Mengde; Jia could no longer see these as acts of friendship, but rather, acts of betrayal.

Jia finally stopped rolling the peach across the table. She watched the peach stand idly in her right hand before she hurled it as hard as she could at the wall. The meat of the fruit had splattered all over a tapestry, the once beautiful fruit making a macabre mess across the wall.

Jia then turned her head left to see a large shadow that had caught her eye. Jia eyed Xiahou Yuan and his family, who had just entered as Jia let out her rage by abusing a piece of fruit. Jia watched them react for a moment before facing back toward the wall.

"Why don't you kids go with your father to see Uncle Dun?" Jia heard Tian suggest.

Her children protested with chants of "Uncle Dun hates us!". However, Tian was no pushover and sent her husband and children off and out of the dining hall. She quickly made her way to Jia's side.

"Lady Hou," the plump woman greeted with a short curtsey before taking her seat. "Is there something wrong?"

Tian noticed how Jia's once beautiful and proud form was a broken shell of what it used to be. She looked ill, tired, and most of all, lost. Her hair was frayed, her body was slumped over. She looked at Tian with empty eyes, the shallow look in the younger woman's eyes frightened her.

"I'm alone, Tian," Jia finally answered. "There's no one single person in this world that won't hurt me."

"Jia…" Tian comforted the younger woman by placing her hand on hers.

The plump woman had no idea what Jia's situation was, but she couldn't help but comfort her. She was a natural born mother, and that's what Jia needed right then more than anything.

"No matter who opposes you in the world, you have to stay true to yourself. You are a beautiful woman, inside and out, and you have to remember that there is always someone who cares.

"All humans hurt others, even if its on accident, and you have to remember to forgive those who are true to you. There is always someone willing to listen, Jia, even if they don't show it.

"If being alone means being hurt by everyone around you, then everyone in this world is alone. But we are not. Sometimes painful situations can get the better of us, but you have to remember to keep shining, and you will never be truly alone."

Jia looked up to Tian's round face to find the most honest woman she had ever seen. Tian was right; she was not alone. So what if she didn't have Lixian, so what if she didn't have Cao Mengde. She had Dun, she had Tian, she had Luo, and she had herself. She knew she wasn't perfect, but she knew she had the power within herself to forgive and forget, and she just had to follow life's current to wherever she may land.

So what if Dun had betrayed her? She knew he regretted it, she knew how sorry he was, she just wouldn't forgive him. But now she realized how much the past few years of being Cao Cao's favorite lover had inflated her ego. It wouldn't be an easy battle to be a humble woman once again, but by god, she would try.

With newfound confidence, Jia reached across and hugged Tian tighter than she'd ever hugged anyone ever before.

"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you, thank you."

Tian rubbed Jia's back tenderly as the woman chanted her thanks.

"Go see Dun. I'm sure he wants to see you," Tian suggested.

Jia thanked Tian one last time before shooting up out of her seat and scuttling as fast as she could to Dun.

After a while of scuttling she decided to forget about looking ladylike and run. She ran with a newfound and innocent outlook on life; the little girl that had been forced to become a woman so many years ago was back. She ran with a girlish expression on her face through familiar halls, familiar faces had looks of confusion, but she didn't care. She neared Dun's room and saw him back to, as if he was leaving and locking up. Her smile widened and became malicious the closer she got. With all the strength she could muster, she leapt far and jumped on Dun's back, who caught her with much surprise.

"Jia? What are you--?"

"Oh, god, Dun, I've missed you," Jia kissed the back of his head several times before continuing. "I've missed you so much."

"Is something wrong?" Dun asked with nothing but concern.

"Everything's wrong, Dun! But you… you're so… right. Isn't that enough reason to make me happy?"

"But Yuan told me you were upset."

"I am, but everything's going to get better, Dun. There's nowhere to go but up."

Jia hopped off of Dun's back and faced him. She stood on her toes and kissed him over and over, apologizing for not forgiving him earlier.

Dun took the moment to register all of this information. He still had no idea what exactly she and Lixian talked about in the hall of the harem, but he knew it must have been upsetting. Yuan had come to him with a report of everything that he had witnessed. Jia playing with fruit and then mercilessly hurling it at the wall. Yuan described the emptiness of her eyes as 'the eyes of a dead man', and that, perhaps, Dun owed her a visit.

But the woman who now assaulted his face with kisses did not have dead eyes. Rather, they were reborn, full of life, full of love. He stood idle no more and picked Jia up, carrying her like a bride into his room.

He brought Jia to the bed, and laid her down gently. He watched her eyes well up with tears, and spill down the sides of her eyes. Dun would've worried about these tears had she not been laughing. Joyful tears did no harm.

Jia grabbed Dun and pulled him down onto the bed, but she was not sexual in any way. She pulled him close to her body, and pressed her face into his chest, thankful, so very thankful, that he was there.

* * *

So, was that up to standard? I feel like my writing style has changed so much from the first chapter to this one. I don't know, maybe it's just me. Like always, read and review!


	14. Chapter 14

UGH. FINALLY. I AM SO SORRY, DEAR READERS. I feel like I've betrayed you all. But I kind of fell out of the fandom for a while, because I was getting older and dealing with all that real life stuff, but now I'm back and tumblr has reintroduced me to this beautiful fandom. So I'm back and stronger than ever! I really, really, really hope I can keep up with you all. I really want to join a DW fan forum for inspiration, but I don't know which ones are still active. Any help is appreciated!

Once again, I am so sorry for being on such an intense hiatus. I will have this story finished soon! Only one chapter left! And then after that, I'll be fine tuning my Guo Nuwang/Cao Pi/Zhen Ji story. UGUUU, thank you beautiful readers. Thank you so much.

And disclaimer: Koei owns most everything here. I own Jia.

* * *

"I hate to say it, but Lady Bian has wonderful taste," Jia chuckled as she took a good look around the small estate Dun had been awarded by Cao Cao. Lady Bian herself had ordered the furniture and decorations, and it looked absolutely lovely.

Dun gave a gruff sigh. "There are too many curtains."

Jia had to roll her eyes. _Men_. "This coming from the man who wears gold pants."

She continued on her way, passing three maids and a chef. Jia knew there were more servants somewhere in the humble estate. Three maids would've been sufficient for her but the Xiahou and Cao clans seemed intent on over-staffing their estates, and Jia wasn't about to argue with them.

"I want to look at the bed," Dun said, suddenly and sharply, making Jia burst into laughter. "What's so funny?"

"We've been in the place for five minutes, and you already want to get down to business?" She continued to laugh. "You're such a _man_."

He pulled her close, a look of false agitation on his face. "You love it. Now let's go look at that bed."

The bed itself was slightly larger than the one Dun had at the main estate, but it lacked the worn-in comfort of the old bed. Jia unceremoniously plopped down on the duvet, enjoying the plush blankets and furs and the silken curtains flowing around her.

Dun followed in next to her, not so enchanted by the plushness or flowy-ness of the room. The bed was too soft, and there was an obnoxious draft coming in from _somewhere_, but he couldn't tell where exactly it was coming from. But seeing Jia like this, so happy and carefree, finally able to keep her relationships out of public eye, was enough for Dun to overlook the room's downsides for the moment. All he wanted to do was stare at that lovely face.

Without realizing it, he had been tracing a hand up and down her thigh, and Jia was squirming under his hand, eyes looking up at him wantonly. He felt the silk of her robes beneath his fingers, and realized he never really thought about the effort she put into dressing herself every day. He gave a quick count in his head of how many of her robes he had trashed. How many of those did she actually _like_? How many of her favorite outfits had he destroyed?

He proceeded gently, taking the time to untie her sash, complicated as it was, instead of just cutting it free. Her skirt was next to go, and once again Dun found himself untying a complicated knot. Jia seemed to be enjoying his attention, enough so that she reached out to touch his face. She found the coarse hair of his beard inviting and pulled him up for a kiss.

Jia pulled the furs up as she curled into Dun's body. They were sticky with sweat, but the room had a strong draft. Dun's eyes were closed as she gazed up at him, and she opened her mouth to say 'I'd say this bed passes inspection', or some other witty remark, but he had a strange vulnerability around him. It was rare to see him like this, completely content and off guard, and she didn't want to spoil it. So she curled in close to him, enjoying his warmth and silent company.

Two months ago she would've been curled next to Cao Cao. She would've been in his room watching him redress himself before he sat down to finish some paperwork. She would've left in a hurry, lest Lady Bian come knocking. But that seemed so far away now it seemed so strangely foreign to think about. She shook her head and purged her mind of all the distracting drama. Right now she was happy, and that was more than enough to be thankful for.

Dun woke, groping at the too-soft spot next to him. Dusk was sparkling through a foreign window. Pushing himself from the bed, he took a look at his new surroundings. When he spotted a woman coming in with new linens from the antechamber he shot her a dangerous glare.

"Good morning, Master Xiahou," the woman chimed. "Mistress Hou is having her dinner."

_Right_. The new house came with servants. "Thank you."

The maid dutifully lay the linens down at the foot of the bed before giving the warrior his privacy. This could take some getting used to.

He fumbled his way through the corridors of the estate, getting lost only once before he found the dining room. She seemed completely at ease as a maid rushed to refill her goblet. She seemed to be reading a pamphlet, popping food into her mouth at random intervals. It was strange to finally see what she did in her down time, but it made her seem more solid, more real, to him.

"Care to join me?" She hadn't even bothered to look up at him, but he knew she was smiling into her pamphlet. "The servants tell me that there's an untended garden on the grounds. I'd like to renovate it."

Words flew from his mouth before he could even sit down. "Do what you like. I've no interest in that sort of thing."

She waved her hand and a few servants ran off, most likely to relay her orders.

"You seem like you've got this whole house-managing business under control."

Jia looked up from her reading, a touch flustered at the comment. "When I was younger I used to think about how nice it would be to manage my own home. But I never thought..." she trailed off and suddenly she looked ten years younger. "Well, you know, the only way a woman can manage an estate is to get married, and I've never been marriage material."

Dun scoffed. "Not marriage material? You're usually so cocky."

"Dun, I'm a whore," she snapped. "The best I can hope for is to not get kicked out when I grow old, or to die young and beautiful. No man marries a whore. There's nothing to gain. It's as simple as that."

"Marriage doesn't have to be about politics," Dun countered. He was clearly perplexed at her sudden change of mood. Perhaps he'd brushed upon a sensitive subject?

She laughed, but it wasn't a nice laugh. It was full of spite and ill-humor. "It doesn't? Then why did Mengde marry his first wife?"

"Mengde is a bad example. Look at Cao Pi, he married Lady Zhen because he thought she was beautiful. He fueled a war for her, there wasn't any gain there."

"She wasn't a whore, Dun. She's a well-bred lady with a lot of money backing up her pretty face."

"Lady Bian-"

"She's a wife and queen in name only. She has power over the harem, but do you think she holds power anywhere else? No. Anytime someone wants to speak with Lord Cao's wife, they are shown to Lady Ding." The room was tense for a moment before Jia spoke up again. "Listen, I didn't mean to get into an argument with you, it's just that I can't- I want to enjoy being the lady of this house while I can."

"What? Do you think I'll kick you out?"

"Well, you were married once, weren't you? And don't wives get all pissy when concubines hold power outside of the bedroom?"

Dun gave a loud, throaty laugh. He knew Jia was getting upset, but he couldn't contain it. Him? Married? "Hold on, I've never been married. Jia, you're the first woman I've been able to stand longer than a few hours. Why would you think I was married?"

"You have a son, don't you? His name is Mao. Your brother's wife told me about him."

"Mao's mother is one of the girls in Mengde's harem."

Jia thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head. "_What?_ His mother is... She's one of the girls? How did you... but Cao Cao's always been so... He doesn't share well."

"He can't possibly keep them all entertained. When the more ignored girls get antsy he just kind of... well, he let's us take our pick."

"_Us?_ There's an _us_ in this?" She looked completely bewildered. "How come I-"

"What? Oh, don't tell me you're upset because you weren't as harem-savvy as you thought," he laughed again.

"No, I just... I thought it was something special that Cao Cao was giving me to you. Like, a distinguished award or something. That's the way he's always treated it."

"It was special," he softened his speech a touch. "You were one of his favorites. The favorites are strictly off limits."

The moment was getting too soft; Jia was supposed to be angry, wasn't she? "That's beside the point, anyway. You're bound to get married one day, and when that happens your wife won't let me pick the curtains anymore."

"Hah! I didn't know you thought so poorly of me," he reached over and grabbed her hand. "Tell you what, I'll just go ahead and marry you. To prove a point, if nothing else."

"Dun, you are so—Wait, what? You can't be serious."

He deadpanned. "I'm as serious as I'll ever be. Besides, if I marry you I don't have to deal with dowries and awkward family dinners. It'll be fun. An adventure, even."

Jia burst into tears, but the ceased quickly. Dun moved to comfort her. She curled into the circle of his arms before looking him square in the eye, disbelief written all over her face. "That was the worst proposal ever."

"What? We're you expecting flowers and wine?" He pat her head, like one might pet a cat. "Do I get an answer today?"

And hearing that, Jia knew there was no other man she could be with. "Gods help me, but I will marry you, Xiahou Dun."

* * *

Is it possible to say 'I'm sorry' too much? I don't think so. I am so sorry. ;-;


	15. Chapter 15 Epilogue

Finally wrapped this thing up. Now I can publish my newer works, yay! It's short, it's sweet, but this is technically an epilogue. The last chapter gave you closure, this just lets you know that everything is okay. BLUH. Enjoy~.

Word of the engagement spread like wildfire. It wasn't unexpected in the least and it seemed like everyone was more than happy to shower the couple in gifts. However, Dun was certainly adverse to the inhuman amounts of attention they'd garnered.

"That's it. I'm done with this whole wedding-thing," Dun fumed as he kicked at yet another engagement present. It was from nameless chap he hadn't seen in years. "Let's just run off and elope."

Jia, on the other hand, was fixing one of the fifty flower arrangements Lady Zhen had sent. "Sorry, but I really want to see you in some finery. Maybe red brocade with gold embroidery. Do you think Lady Bian will embroider your robes? I think cranes would be nice."

"You're enjoying this too much. You're not supposed to enjoy my suffering."

She gave a haughty laugh. "Oh, I'm not? Should I grovel at your feet, beg for forgiveness?"

"No, don't do that either."

Jia closed in on him, chrysanthemums still in hand. "Admit it. The gifts aren't so bad. It's nice to be doted on once in a while."

"I'm perfectly capable of providing for myself."

She let out a sigh. He could be so dreary sometimes. "Well, I have a meeting with a date planner. Something about an 'auspicious moon', I don't know. I just want to start planning the dinner."

The meeting with the date planner was getting progressively more awkward. The awkwardness had all started when Jia arrived, and the portly woman demanded to know where her guardians were. Hadn't she already explained her _situation_ to the woman through letter? After (re)explaining what was going on, the woman nearly refused to help until Jia dropped a name.

"Oh, well, I'm sure Lord Cao will be able to find me someone more capable."

The woman immediately found her manners and suddenly remembered Jia's strange situation.

However, the social situation had deteriorated into uncomfortable silences and untimely questions.

"Since you and your betrothed are unable to perform the proper steps to engagement, we must ensure the date is lucky and the ceremony proceeds as smoothly as possible," she paused, awkwardly, and sipped her tea. "Will your father present you to your new husband?"

Jia sipped her tea as well, and eyed to woman. "My father is dead."

The woman immediately bowed deeply, asking for thousands of apologies, and Jia felt definitively uncomfortable. She was not a woman of tradition and piety, so all this felt so unnatural to her.

"It's fine, really. I don't particularly care. I mean, I hardly knew the man."

The planner covered her face with a fan, clearly embarrassed. "Yes, well, it is certainly not a part of the ceremony that can be skipped. Is there another man who is able to present you? Lord Cao was your guardian for many years, was he not?"

Jia immediately shook her head. "No, I don't like that idea."

"You lived in his home for the better part of your life, he fed you, cared for you, and made sure you were healthy. Is that not what a guardian does?"

"I guess you could say he was like a guardian, but our relationship... was not that of a father and daughter, or even a guardian and ward."

"That does not matter," the woman began making notes. "You have no other man capable of seeing you off."

Jia opened her mouth to argue but, dammit, she was right. She just had to pray that Mengde declined and saved everyone the discomfort.

"Now that's settled," she eyed Jia warily. "Before you are given to your guardian to be handed over to your betrothed, a sister or aunt must help you prepare and cater you around. Do you have someone of a similar standing?"

Jia had already thought about this. "I was planning on asking Lord Xiahou's brother's wife."

"A good choice. Her name?"

"Lady He Tian." She scribbled it down on a little scroll.

"As for a date; spring has just begun, but in two months time it will be the shift to summer. I see that this will be a prosperous time for the region and the kingdom. This would be the most auspicious time to hold a wedding." She grabbed a book from the table and searched through it.

Jia nodded. "You're the expert."

"And you and the bridegroom shall wear red. It will welcome the summer and new life. You will have magpies and lotus flowers embroidered in black on your robes," she flipped through the book again. "The bridegroom will have leopards in gold on his robes."

"This is all really nice, but can we talk about what we get to eat? I just want a nice party."

"Be patient, girl. We must decide decorations and seating first."

Dun was already halfway through dinner when Jia's carriage arrived. She had just gone into town, but when she walked into the dining room she looked like she'd just been across the country.

"It went well, I presume?"

She shot him an irritated glare and called for a glass of honeyed wine. "That woman was horrible," she reached through her robes and found a scroll. "Oh, and this is a list of food we'll need."

She tossed it across the table and he read through it. "Shit. Are we feeding the entire country?"

"Well, I planned on inviting your family in it's entirety, so yeah."

Dun shook his head with a chuckle and rolled the scroll back up. "So everything's been attended to?"

"Of course. All you need to do is show up. You're welcome," she took a sip of wine and decided to approach the matter of her attending father-figure as nonchalantly as she could. "Oh, and I'm asking Mengde to give me away."

Dun put down his chopsticks. "_What? _You think that's wise?"

"I need to have a guardian do it, and he's pretty much the only one I've ever had."

"I thought a father needed to do it, or an uncle or something. And he's definitely not your paternal _anything_."

Jia laughed. "You could argue he's kind of like a creepy uncle. Besides, the more I think about it, the more I like it. Heavy symbolism, you know? It'll be like that final and official handover to put that last nail in the coffin."

"I still don't like it."

"Dun, he's your best friend. Do you think he'll scoop me up and make a mad-dash for the hills? I think he has more integrity than that."

"Gods, woman, you're insufferable."

She looked across the table, eyes dark and challenging. She could be as insufferable as she wanted; it would only please him further. Xiahou Dun was truly a special breed of man.

"Come here," he asked more than demanded. She willingly complied.

Perched atop his lap behaving more like a the concubine she was than the lawful wife she would become, she felt rightfully at peace. Finally with the chaos of her former relationships over with she could finally enjoy a genuine and honest life. Still, she was not a placid creature, and couldn't help but feel like this was only the beginning of a wondrous adventure.

* * *

GUYS ITS THE END OF AN ERA. /cries openly. So I'm finally done with this. Thank you to everyone who has come to me with feedback and to everyone who has helped this come along. I can't believe it took me four years to finish this. I quit writing it quite a few times, but every time I came back and read your reviews I felt like I was abandoning you guys, so I just took it upon myself to finish it up. Thank you all so much for reading, and hopefully you can stick around for the next series. Thank you, thank you, thank you!


End file.
